Congressman Johnson, Congresswoman Mace Co-Leading Measure to Honor Freedom Riders With Congressional Gold Medal
Johnson, Mace Seek Congressional Gold Medal for Civil Rights ‘heroes who risked their lives to make America better’ – more than 50 colleagues agree.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, as we close out Black History Month, Congressman Hank Johnson (GA-04) and Congresswoman Nancy Mace (SC-01) re-introduced a bipartisan resolution calling on Congress to award the Freedom Riders the Congressional Gold Medal.
More than 50 members of Congress – including more than a dozen members of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) – joined Reps. Johnson and Mace as cosponsors of the bill.
The Freedom Rides, which lasted from May to November 1961, included more than 400 Black and white Americans who risked their lives to challenge Jim Crow laws – particularly public transportation – in the South. Despite enduring vicious attacks and imprisonment for simply traveling together on buses and trains as they traveled through the Deep South, the Freedom Riders challenged bitter racism and mob violence with nonviolent activism.
“In our modern movement for equality and racial justice, recognizing the sacrifices and bravery of our forebearers helps us understand our past and envision a more equitable, bright and just future for all,” said Rep. Johnson. “I’m honored Congresswoman Mace is joining me in this effort to recognize these heroes who risked their lives to make America better.”
“We owe it to the legacy of the Freedom Riders to ensure their contributions to the civil rights movement are not forgotten,” says Rep. Mace. “The Congressional Gold Medal is one small but meaningful step toward that goal.”
The 13 original Freedom Riders, who departed on the morning of May 4, 1961, were: Genevieve Hughes Houghton, Charles Person, Hank Thomas, John Lewis, Edward Blankenheim, James Farmer, Walter Bergman, Frances Bergman, Joseph Perkins, Jimmy McDonald, Mae Francis Moultrie, Benjamin Elton Cox, and Albert Bigelow.
Of the 14 original Freedom Riders, Mr. Hank Thomas of Stone Mountain, Georgia, and Mr. Charles Person of Atlanta are still living.
If approved by Congress, the Freedom Riders would receive the medal as a group, and it would be displayed at the Smithsonian Museum.
Cosponsors (58): Rep. Alma Adams (NC-12), Joyce Beatty (OH-03), Earl Blumenauer (OR-03), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Brendan Boyle (PA-02), Shontel Brown (OH-11), Cori Bush (MO-01), Salud Carbajal (CA-24), Troy A. Carter Sr. (LA-02), Rep. Matt Cartwright (PA-08), Sean Casten (IL-06), Steve Cohen (TN-09), Jim Costa (CA-21), Henry Cuellar (TX-28), Danny K. Davis (IL-07), Suzan DelBene (WA-01), Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Ruben Gallego (AZ-03), Brian Higgins (NY-26), Sara Jacobs (CA-51), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), William R. Keating (MA-09), Stephen F. Lynch (MA-08), Nancy Mace (SC-01), Doris Matsui (CA-07), Betty McCollum (MN-04), James McGovern (MA-02), Gregory W. Meeks (NY-05), Grace Meng (NY-06), Gwen Moore (WI-04), Joseph D. Morelle (NY-25), Jared Moskowitz (FL-23), Seth Moulton (MA-06), Eleanor Norton (DC At-Large), Dean Phillips (MN-03), Mark Pocan, Frank Pallone (NJ-06), (WI-02), Deborah K. Ross (NC-02), Raul Ruiz (CA-25), John P. Sarbanes (MD-03), Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05), Adam B. Schiff (CA-30), David Scott (GA-13), Terri A. Sewell (AL-07), Brad Sherman (CA-32), Haley Stevens (MI-11), Bennie Thompson (MS-02), Dina Titus (NV-01), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Paul D. Tonko (NY-20), Norma J. Torres (CA-35), David Trone (MD-06), Marc Veasey (TX-33), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), Susan Wild (PA-07), Nikema Williams (GA-05), Frederica S. Wilson (FL-24)
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