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    Freedom Riders: John Lewis and Jim Zwerg on the Front Lines of the Civil Rights Movement
    Freedom Riders: John Lewis and Jim Zwerg on the Front Lines of the Civil Rights Movement
    Freedom Riders: John Lewis and Jim Zwerg on the Front Lines of the Civil Rights Movement
    Audiobook1 hour

    Freedom Riders: John Lewis and Jim Zwerg on the Front Lines of the Civil Rights Movement

    Written by Ann Bausum

    Narrated by Cecelia Riddett

    4.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    It was 1961. John Lewis and Jim Zwerg are two young men boarding a bus and heading south for Montgomery, Alabama and the thick of the brewing Civil Rights struggle. They are idealists, committed to justice and equality and full of hope for change. This is their Freedom Ride. Arriving in town, suddenly they find themselves helpless in the clutches of an angry white mob armed with bats, chains, and hammers. Both men are beaten within an inch of their lives, for the color of their skin-John was black and Jim was white-and for the ideas they had traveled so far to support. Told from the perspectives of these two Freedom Riders, this Robert F. Silbert Honor Book is a stunning testament to the power of nonviolent resistance in the face of racial discrimination and segregation. A thoughtful reading from narrator Cecelia Riddett brings this important tale of the Civil Rights Movement to life for today's readers. ". [An] excellent work of nonfiction . [that] delivers a galvanizing call to action."-Booklist, starred review
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRecorded Books, Inc.
    Release dateSep 19, 2008
    ISBN9781436145985
    Freedom Riders: John Lewis and Jim Zwerg on the Front Lines of the Civil Rights Movement
    Author

    Ann Bausum

    ANN BAUSUM has written nine National Geographic books for young readers during the past 12 years. Her publication list features six works of social justice history, two presidential history reference books, and a photobiography. She has won numerous awards, including a Sibert Honor Award from the American Library Association and three other national awards for literature.

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    Reviews for Freedom Riders

    4.5/5

    49 ratings7 reviews

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    • 5/5
      Freedom Riders is a Sibert Honor Book that tells the story of the 1961 Freedom Rides from the perspective of two men: John Lewis and Jim Zwerg. What makes the story so interesting is how the two riders' divergent backgrounds were united for the cause. Representing 'Black America', the book details John Lewis' humble upbringing in rural Alabama and his obstacle-laden journey to Nashville to pursue his education. Jim Zwerg's story represents an opposite existence, or a "different world" as the book describes. Raised in a middle-class town in Northern Wisconsin, Zwerg's early years were completely shielded from any exposure to the discrimination that was taking place in the South. The historical details are jaw-dropping once the two meet in Nashville and the Freedom Rides begin. At multiple points during the read I had to remind myself that these events did not take place that long ago. When you look at the photos and read the accounts there is a tendency to think, "This must have happened a long time ago" -- but didn't! And in so many ways discrimination, racial or otherwise, is still taking place. I was astonished by the courage of the riders, and even more astonished by many of the factual details of the event (i.e. the pre-arranged deals between the KKK and the local police departments to allow violence without intervention; the number of mob members in Montgomery -- over a 1,000; and the calculated organization of the attacks: take out media first, then attack the passengers). Needless to say, it was an emotional read. From a teaching perspective, this book is widely applicable. Last semester I worked on a To Kill A Mockingbird unit through the conceptual lens of injustice. One of the lessons involved study and discussion of the Jim Crow Laws of the South -- this book would have been a perfect supplementary text. With such a strong connection to the Civil Rights Movement, American History, and the general spirit of courage, I can see this book finding its way into many other lesson plans.The book itself was both an engaging and thought-provoking read. The writing was easy to follow, and the primary source documents (mainly photos) gave the book a great deal of authenticity. Both riders, Lewis and Zwerg, share their thoughts in the "Foreword", and the back of the book features a wide variety of rich supplemental material (a partial roster of the other riders, a timeline of events, a comprehensive resource guide, research notes, bibliography, citations, and an index). This is a fantastic book that I would highly recommend to others!
    • 5/5
      Two worlds, one cause. The story of the Freedom Rides from the perspective of a black man and of a white man, with background on each.Strength of the human spirit.
    • 4/5
      Freedom Riders by Anne Bausum was a very informative and interesting look into the private lives of two main contributors of the civil rights movement known as the Freedom Rides. This book detailed the early lives and journey of John Lewis and Jim Zwerg into the Freedom Rides from very different backgrounds. John Lewis was an African-American born in Alabama that knew nothing but racial segregation and struggle. Jim Zwerg was an individual that came from the state of Wisconsin without much interaction with people of color. These men crossed paths in Nashville when both were intrigued by the ideas and messages of the Congress of Racial Equality (known as CORE). This mixed group of people had a vision of equal rights for both whites and blacks. Many of their Freedom Rides ended with violence from protestors against their movement, jail time, and several injuries. CORE made several trips across the south in order to spread their message. It was eventually heard by the nation when the United States Department of Justice passed laws allowing individuals to ride public transportation regardless of "race, color, creed, or national origin." I found this book to very moving and motivating. It shared the lives of two different individuals that believed in a common cause. This was a monumental time in history that changed the way that African-Americans were treated across the nation, especially the south. I would suggest this book to anyone in the social studies field because it gives a deeper understanding of one of the lesser-known civil rights movement.
    • 5/5
      Found this to be a great introduction to the Freedom Riders by focusing on two of them, yet explaining the overall concept and how it began. Good for all ages.
    • 5/5
      “Freedom Riders” is the story of the 1961 Freedom Rides. It focuses on two participants, John Lewis (a black man) and Jim Zwerg (a white man). These Freedom Rides were to peacefully promote racial equality. Their bus of the Freedom Rides arrived in Birmingham, Alabama, on May 14th and was immediately met with an angry mob of white southerners. People were beaten, the bus was damaged, and it was total chaos. And the shocking thing is that police were not too concerned with the violence that broke out.This book is almost necessary to share with middle school children. They never really want to give kids the full story about how bad things were during the turbulent sixties. I felt as if a lot of things I learned in school regarding the Civil Rights Movement were sugarcoated and just skimmed over. If you want to give kids a clear picture of how far we have come, share the photos in this book. Starting discussion would not be hard because I’m sure everyone would want to say something. I would also require my students to write an essay on how they feel the Freedom Rides impacted their freedom today and why.This book is so informative. As I said, I felt like a lot was left out in school about the Civil Rights Movement. Until my senior year of high school, I had no idea the real things that went on in the south because it seems no one wanted to talk about it. But my twelfth grade Government teacher went into such great detail; we watched films, we viewed pictures, we had projects and things to research to learn more about certain topics. I became so interested in how they were able to peacefully convene (because I’m not sure that I could have endured the beatings and the name calling and the death threats) over and over and they let nothing stop them. It is because of people like John Lewis and Jim Zwerg that I am able to attend the university I attend and live the way I live and have the friends I have. I believe we owe those people so much respect, because so many people lost their lives for us to enjoy ours!
    • 5/5
      This was an amazing book. It really moved me and touched my soul. I can not believe I never heard about this story till now. Everything that those people went through, they were just kids my age, it's amazing. Their dedication to the movement, and being prepared to die, WOW!! It's absolutely incredible. I was in shock that the authorities allowed the beatings and cruelty. I can not imagine anyone justifying what they did to the riders of those buses. I am not sure what age group this would be appropriate for maybe 5th graders and older. It is very graphic and there is a lot of violence. I think it is extremely important for students to read this at some point in their education.
    • 5/5
      excellent overview of civil rights freedom riders w/ forwards by 2 of the participants. great photos, enough white space to be enjoyable to read and easy on the eyes while still packing in lots of facts and information; well written. has it all...research guide, mug shots and citations.