2011 Student Freedom Ride Kickoff
Scenes from Washington DC on May 6, 2011, where the forty student freedom riders meet for the first time and attend a screening of the film Freedom Riders at the Newseum.
Meet Ryan Price
A profile of Ryan Price, one of the 40 student freedom riders participating in the 2011 ride. "There was an article recently that said I broke down stereotypes when I was elected president of my fraternity," says Ryan. "But to me... it was my 109 fraternity brothers who broke down stereotypes when they elected me, just because I'm me and it has nothing to do with my sexual orientation."
Freedom Rider Bernard Lafayette Sings
Freedom Rider Bernard Lafayette, Jr. sings a song before the 2011 Student Freedom Ride begins.
Meet Peter Davis
A profile of Peter Davis, one of the 40 student freedom riders participating in the 2011 Student Freedom Ride. "Every generation - the spirit of activism, the spirit of the more perfect union, and fighting for justice - needs to be reborn. It's not transmitted from every generation to the next one," says Peter. "Each generation needs to find inspiration to rekindle that spirit."
Meet Robert Sgrignoli
"Throughout my entire life, I haven't really been exposed to that much of civil rights history, and I think that a lot of college students today think we don't have power to make a change or a drastic change in society, but we really do," says Rob Sgrignoli, one of the 40 student freedom riders participating in the 2011 Student Freedom Ride from May 6-16.
Meet Tariq Meyers
A profile of Tariq Meyers, one of the 40 student freedom riders participating in the 2011 Student Freedom Ride from May 6-16. "I've always been told, from a young age, that it's my job to leave the world different than the way I came," Tariq says.
Meet Zilong Wang
A profile of Zilong Wang, one of the 40 student freedom riders participating in the 2011 Student Freedom Ride in May 2011. "China is going through many of the similar periods as America has gone through 50 years ago," Zilong says. "There's a lot to be learned from America's mistake and its success."
Meet Liliana Astiz
A profile of Liliana Astiz, one of the 40 student freedom riders participating in the 2011 Student Freedom Ride. "The more you take control of what your life is, and the more you take control of what your future becomes," Lily says, "the more you begin to see how much power you really do have."
Meet Tania Smith
A profile of Tania Smith, a student at American University and one of the 40 student freedom riders participating in the 2011 Student Freedom Ride.
The Legacy of the Stonewall Riots
The Stonewall riots inspired gay Americans to fight for their rights. It was another great step forward in the story of human rights.
The First Gay Pride March
Organizers of the first gay pride march had low expectations. Here, they remember the march, held in New York City, one year after the Stonewall riots, in June 1969.
Stonewall: An Uprising, Not a Riot
In June, 1969, a typical NYPD raid of the Stonewall, a gay bar in New York City, had an unexpected result—gay patrons fought back. Here are some reflections on the Stonewall riots.
What Was the Mattachine Society?
Richard Inman was president of the Mattachine society, one of the earliest gay rights groups. His goal was to legalize homosexuality between consenting adults.
The Dangers of Drag
In 1960s New York, gay men who dressed in women's clothing courted danger; "masquerading" was breaking the law.
The "Dangers" of Homosexuality
A policeman's 1966 lecture to teenagers on how homosexuality can destroy lives.
The Fear of Being Gay
A veteran remembers what it was like to discover he was gay. Homosexuality meant a dishonorable discharge and no one would hire you afterwards.
"Curing" Homosexuality
Dangerous "treatments" for eliminating homosexual urges were common in 1950s and 60s.
Meet Charles Reed, Jr.
A profile of Charles Reed, Jr., one of the 40 student freedom riders participating in the 2011 Student Freedom Ride in May 2011. "Thirty-nine new people from across the nation that I have no connection to at all... we share the same belief that social justice is something that is important," says Charles from the campus of the University of Mary Washington.
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