American Experience; Freedom Riders; Interview with Moses Newson, 3 of 3

so although this the situation at the Birmingham bus station was quite interesting because some of the people wanted to try to continue despite the fact that they didn't have a bus that would take us any place and question part of the time was whether we would go to Montgomery or whether we would head on to new orleans and i think there's a low heat to couple of times with some of the people who were ready to call it off. With some those people are really you know the walking wounded they had been beaten up pretty badly and some were still suffering from the smoke they had inhaled and that sorta thing but I say, really, you know they were really

dedicated courageous group of people. But I think they did - they finally made the decision that they head to come to, that they had gone about as far as they could at that particular time and under the circumstances. [Interviewer] Was there bit of a feeling of sadness at giving up at that point? ?? that some people feel like that? i think some people felt that they were very sad about the situation that they hadn't been able to complete the trip that they had planned on doing, but i think some of the wiser and people realised that actually they had done what they could under the circumstances. i thought it was over and a, and a few days later and those kids from Nashville and other places start picking

up to drive and people were coming from everywhere to participate. I was really surprised because they had heard about everything that had happened to the original group and they were still anxious to get out there and do what they thought was necessary to prevent violence from curbing an activity that they thought was very important. And I was just surprised and really happy to see 'em doing it. [Interviewer] This is the article....?? [Newsome] This is something I did did immediately after the first leg of the freedom riders. It's called "Operation Dixie: Riders will never be the same."

[instruction for cameraman from interviewer] "stay with him, let him start to read, give him a couple of beats [inaudible] it's a long thing he's got to read, so [inaudible] [Interviewer] When you say that "this is something," go ahead, what is this? [Newsome] This is something i wrote at the end of the first leg of the Freedom Riders. And, it sort of sums up my view of what took place. It's called "Operation Dixie: Riders will never be the same." The courageous Freedom Riders won't ever be the same. They left Washington, D.C. in good spirits, with high hopes in their country and fellow men. They held some of the most democratic meetings ever attended. As things got rougher, safety began to take a more important role and every man, every man wanted to have his say

and cast his vote on plans. They spoke bluntly. There were no political leaders, just people with feelings about how best to do what had to be done. But the beatings, the tensions, the shots depth of the hating the [inaudible] lawlessness, and the bus riding mile after mile took its toll. As they left for their far various homes Thursday, some were plainly, painfully injured, some considerably nervous and others just weary. It will be a miracle if all the physical and psychological wounds ever heal. The deep South was that [other speaker] ?inaudible? OK

Yeah. Oh, immediately after the Freedom Ride the first leg of the Freedom Ride, there's a sort of a summation what i wrote. What I have seen and gone through. It's called Operation Dixie. Riders would never be the same. The courageous Freedom Riders will never be the same. They left Washington D.C. in good spirits with high hopes and their country and fellow man. They held some of the most democratic meetings ever attended. As things got rougher safety began to take a more important role and every man wanted to have his say and cast his vote on plans. They spoke broadly, they were no political leaders, just people with feelings about how best to do what they had to do. But the beatings, the tensions, the shocks, the depth of the hatings, the open lawlessness, and a bus riding mile after mile took its toll.

As they left for their various homes Thursday, some were painfully injured, some considerably nervous and others just weary. It would be a miracle if all of them, if all their physical and psychological wounds ever heal. The deep South was that, ah, [other speaker] "One more time." This is something I wrote immediately after the first leg of the Freedom Ride, it sortof encapsules what I saw and experienced out there. It's called "Operation Dixie: Riders will never be the same". [background speaker giving instructions] Alright this is something I wrote after the first leg of the Freedom Ride. The courageous Freedom Riders will never be the same. They left Washington

D.C. in good spirits with high hopes and their country and fellow men. They held some of the most democratic meetings ever attended. As things got rougher, safety [whispering] "I wanna do that thing again." [other speaker] "Don't worry about it. Just start over." Alright ?inaudible? You got it. Ok. Alright. You know I'm havin' an eye operation soon. I don't see some of this stuff so well. [other speaker] "You're doing' great" [laughter] Alright this is something I wrote immediately after the first leg of the Freedom Ride. [other speaker in background] "Just say something I wrote after the Freedom Ride" ?inaudible? "We may not know that there's a second leg at this point in the story. Know what I mean?" Ok well they got this ?inaudible" stuff in there, but that stuff doesn't matter, OK. This is this something I wrote after. . .Let me do that again.

This is something I wrote after coming off the Freedom Rides. The courageous Freedom Riders won't never be the same. They left Washington D.C. in good spirits with high hopes in their country and fellow men. The held some of the most democratic meetings ever attended. As things got rougher, safety began to take a more important role and every man wanted to have his say and cast his vote on plans. They spoke bluntly. There were no political leaders, just people with feelings about how best to do what had to be done. But the beatings, the tensions, the shocks, the depth of the hating, the open lawlessness, and the bus riding mile after mile took its toll. As they left for their various homes, some were painfully injured, some

considerably nervous, and others just weary. It will be a miracle if all their physical and psychological wounds ever heal. The deep South was that tough. [inaudible background noise] As they left for their various homes Thursday, some were painfully injured, some considerably nervous, and others just weary. It will be a miracle if all their physical and psychological wounds ever heal. The deep South was that Tough. ?inaudible background noise? ?brief inaudible noise? ?inaudible background conversation? [throat-clearing]

?no sound? ?no sound? ?no sound?