Exploring the legacy of Nashville’s Freedom Riders

On May 17, 1961,10 members of the Nashville Student Movement boarded a bus from Nashville to Birmingham, Alabama, as part of the Freedom Rides. The riders were arrested in Alabama and then sent back to the Tennessee border in the middle of the night. However, they helped bolster the civil rights movement as it continued to roll across the South.  In today’s episode, we explore the legacy of Nashville’s Freedom Riders with poets and a journalist. Then we’re joined by a local civil rights activist to learn more about her participation in the sit-ins and the role that education plays in preserving the legacy of the civil rights movement.  But first, WPLN enterprise reporter Damon Mitchell provides an update on rebuilding efforts and preparation for the first post-flood high school graduation in Waverly. Guests: Damon Mitchell, WPLN enterprise reporter Joshua Moore, host of Versify  Destiny Birdsong, writer Saran “S-Wrap” Thompson, hip-hop and spoken word artist Professor Gloria McKissack, civil rights activist and educator