"I think, to understand the story of the freedom riders, you have to understand how abhorrent segregation was in the deep south." "Granddad:" "Segregation was so bad back then, my rule was if it was in the south, it wasn't worth it." "And most of my family was in the south, and I didn't care." "They were not worth it." "So, it's with that backdrop that a handful of us decided to venture into the deep south to defy those immoral laws." "Robert Jebediah Freeman is a very odd recurring character in the Civil Rights Movement." "He is a self-described civil rights legend, which I feel is, well, not at all accurate." "Even by his own account, his participation in the freedom rides seems to have been completely against his will." "__" "Granddad:" "One ticket for Chicago, thank you kindly." "[Grumbles] Hmm!" "Granddad:" "The day I was leaving, it was all over the news." "These freedom riders... young, idealistic, bold kids who were riding buses from Washington, D.C., to New Orleans to test and challenge segregation... end Jim Crow." "The paper said they were expected to arrive in Alabama sometime that afternoon, and I remember thinking to myself," ""I'm so glad I won't be here when them niggas show up."" "Don't get me wrong." "Unh-unh." "I hated Jim Crow." "Ohh, the humiliation we had to endure." "Ugh!" "[Coughs, gags]" "See, when I saw injustice," "I didn't need to dust off negro spirituals and have an army of rhyming preachers behind me." "Oh, no, I ain't afraid of a confrontation." "I let those crackers know I wasn't having it." "Uh, I just wanted to make sure that you were aware that the, uh, colored restroom could use some attending." "What you want me to do about that, porch monkey?" "Granddad:" "I would like someone to clean it, if you have the time and available janitorial staff." "I bet it's cleaner than that jungle you come from, coonskin." "Shoot, if it was up to me, you'd be [beep] from a tree outside." "[Chuckling] now, scram, spearchucker." "Granddad:" "Excuse me, sir, but I know my rights... separate but equal." "Now, I don't mind using the colored bathroom, but it is a violation of my civil rights if that bathroom is covered in [beep]." "The bathrooms should be equally [beep]." "That's the law." "Hey, how about I get you a mop, and you clean it, jigaboo?" "Granddad: [Grumbles]" "So, I bravely went into the whites-only bathroom, and I took a dump." "Oh, not just any dump." "It was a dump for freedom, a stinky load for the dignity of the black man." "[Farting] Take that, Charlie." "This is for your mama." "[Farting] Aah!" "Ooh. [Sighs]" " Aah. [Sighs] Oh." " What?" " Granddad:" "Free at last." "Free at last." " [Groans]" "[Farting] Whew!" "[Humming]" " [Gasps]" " Hey!" "At that point, as Robert tried to get away from the bus-station employee, he accidentally got on the bus occupied by the freedom riders." " [Engine turns over]" " Granddad:" "Take that, you cracker-ass cracker!" "That's why I [beep] in your bathroom and used up all your special white-people quilted toilet paper!" "[Grumbles]" "That was the first time I saw Robert Freeman... when he got on the bus." "Now, I remember seeing him for the first time and thinking," ""ooh, he's really frail."" "Granddad:" "I noticed she was reading Ralph Ellison's "Invisible Man", a book I had meant to read many times." "I'm sorry about my language." "I just..." "I get so upset at the injustice of segregation." "It's okay." "What happened back there?" "Granddad:" "Well, see, I had to go into the bathroom to take a du... uh, stand against segregation." "And they said, "nigga, don't you dare go into that bathroom."" "And I said, "you don't scare me, white man." ""And my name ain't 'nigga.' you will address me as 'Mr. Freeman.'"" "Amazing." "I can't believe it." " Sturdy, did you hear this?" " Yes, I did." "Your courage is an inspiration, brother." "Now, leading this particular bus was the reverend Sturdy Harris, who was an up-and-coming force on the civil rights scene." "Sturdy was a very physically imposing man, a grad student at Fisk University, captain of the football team, totally fearless." "This guy was really a superior human being, completely dedicated to the cause of justice." "Granddad:" "Sturdy." "Boy, I hated that nigga." "Reverend Sturdy Harris." "Granddad:" "Ow!" "So, where you from?" "You in school?" "So, where is Mr. Freeman traveling to?" "Granddad:" "Oh, heading back to Chicago." "Um, Robert, this bus is going south." "Granddad:" "Huh?" "No, that's not right." "It's supposed to be going north." "Oh, no." "You must have gotten on the wrong bus." "Granddad:" "Oh, damn it." "Where this bus going?" "To Birmingham." "Granddad:" "Birmingham?" "!" "[beep] That's the worst!" "Let me off!" "[beep]" "This is all that white man's fault." "Ow!" "Robert, what if I told you you weren't meant to be on that other bus?" "That God had a plan for you on this bus?" "Granddad:" "Well, I don't know why God is talking to you about me." "God loves me in Chicago." "Robert, have you heard of the freedom riders?" "Granddad:" "Wait, you guys aren't... oh, man, not you guys!" "I was leaving town early to avoid y'all!" "Yes, y'all is we." "All: ♪ ain't gonna let nobody turn me around ♪" "♪ Turn me around, turn me around ♪" "♪ Ain't gonna let nobody turn me around ♪" "♪ Turn me around, turn me around ♪" "Granddad:" "Well, good luck with that and all your bus tunes." "I'm going back north." "We're just like you, Robert." "We felt like it was time to take a stand." "This bus is going to freedom." "Granddad:" "Then we got to turn this bus around." "All: ♪ ain't gonna let nobody turn me around ♪" "Granddad:" "Excuse me for a second." " You with them?" " No." " Granddad:" "What are you doing this for?" " Time and a half." "Granddad:" "Can I pay you double to turn the bus around?" "No, sir." "Granddad: [Whimpers]" "All: ♪ turn me around, turn me around ♪" "Look, Robert." "I know this may sound crazy to you, but we do have a strategy." " Granddad:" "Strategy?" " That's right." "A brilliant strategy. loy." "Granddad:" "Thank God." "You should have said that before." "I'm up for strategy." "Lay it on me." "The most brilliant strategy ever conceived..." " Nonviolent direct action." " Granddad:" "Come again?" "You confront the oppressor and his unjust system." "Incite him to violence without resorting to violence yourself." " Granddad:" "Why would we do that?" " To prove our moral superiority." " Granddad:" "So, we make them want to attack us?" " Yes." " Granddad:" "And then we let them?" " Exactly." " Granddad:" "And we don't fight back?" " No." " Granddad:" "What about self-defense?" " Absolutely not." "The only self-defense allowed is singing and a special kind of nonviolent martial art which protects your attacker at all times..." ""Hard chin, soft hand."" "Granddad:" "Do you even hear yourselves?" "We are ready for anything, Robert." " They can arrest us, beat us." " Granddad:" "Beat us?" "I think, as a people, we've taken enough beatings." "Don't you think?" "Beat us, stab us, sic dogs on us, light us on fire." "Granddad:" "Light us on fire?" "!" "Not that we're expecting that." "But we are prepared for that to happen." "Granddad:" "You can't get prepared to get lit on fire!" "In defense of Robert, the strategy of nonviolent direct action, when you actually think about it, is completely insane." "You have to trust us, Robert." "God is on our side." "There's nothing to be afraid of." "Granddad:" "No [beep] way." "There's no [beep] way you gonna get me out there." "This is the dumbest [beep] I've ever heard." "I mean it." "You're out of your [beep] minds!" "We're gonna end Jim Crow, Robert." "Granddad:" "You want to know how to end Jim Crow?" "Get out of the [beep] south!" "Which is exactly what I'm gonna do at the next station." "Good luck with all this [beep]." "Now, the riders were unaware at that point that they were heading toward serious danger." "Birmingham was the most racist city in the whole country, run by a maniac named Bull Connor." "I hate niggers!" "I hate 'em!" "I hate 'em!" "And right next to Bull Connor, helping him organize this violence against the riders, was an equally despicable man." "Ruckus:" "The day my hero, Bull Connor, called and asked for my help dealing with them freedom-ridin' niggas was the happiest day of my life. [Chuckles]" "Granddad:" "Wait." "You mean Ruckus was at the Birmingham Station?" "All this time, I didn't know that." "That black sumbitch!" "Boy, I'ma have to kick his ass when I see him." "Ruckus:" "Robert Freeman was there?" "[Chuckles] Well, ain't that something?" "Small world." "Bull Connor made an arrangement with the Ku Klux Klan." "Their mobs would be allowed 15 minutes to do anything to the riders without fear of arrest." "Ruckus:" "Oh, sure." "It starts with buses." "But next they will want to integrate schools and restaurants, and before you know, some nigga will want to integrate the sweet pink nether regions of your white wife or your white daughter or your dear, sweet, white grandmother." "Do any of y'all know what a BBC is?" "All:" "No!" "Ruckus:" "Ooh, you don't want to know." "It does much damage." "You have 15 minutes, 900 seconds, to do whatever your heart desires to these shiftless black bastards before the law shows up." "So, I am begging you, white men." "Do not hold back on these niggas." "Let the full strength of your caucasianism rain down upon them!" "Believe me... they can't do much, but a nigga can take an ass-whupping, I promise!" "They were headed into a trap." "When we pulled into the Birmingham station, there was a mob of at least 200 people there." "The bus was surrounded, and they were calling us all kinds of names... nigger, nigger-lover, moon cricket, free-Lance honey badger." "Listen to that. "Free-Lance honey badger"?" "I think they were just making up words after awhile." "[Indistinct shouting]" "Aah!" "We were all pretty scared, and then sturdy just stood up, and he said..." "Brothers and sisters, freedom awaits." "And suddenly, we weren't afraid anymore." "Granddad: [beep] that." "I was afraid." "[Shouting continues]" " Brother Freeman, please." " Granddad: [Grumbles]" " You just get your ass back on that bus!" " Hey, nigger-lovers!" " How about some of this, boy?" "!" " Why don't you crawl back in your hole?" "!" "[Grunts]" "Please!" "Please, we don't mean any..." "Oh, my God!" "You don't have to!" "Oh, God!" "Oh, God!" "Help us!" "Granddad: [Coughing]" "What the hell?" "[Coughs]" "[Chuckling] Oh, this is perfect." "[Panting] [Gasps]  Aah!" "[Belt cracks]" "Granddad: [Grunts] Not so fast, you cracker!" "That's what I said." "I said, "not so fast, you cracker!"" "That's actually what he said." "I almost laughed." "Granddad: [Growls] [Grunts]" "Granddad: [Grunts]  Aah!" " [Belt cracks] - [Grunts]" "Ohh, Robert!" " I'll get you, you black slut!" " [Gasps] [Grunts]" " Robert, we're supposed to be nonviolent!" " Granddad:" "Unh-unh." " Hey, you big, old pickaninny!" " Hold still!" "You think you can take me?" "Huh?" "!" " [Grunts]" " Aah!" " [Grunts] Ow!" " [Grunts]" " [Belt cracks] - [Grunts]" "Granddad:" "Ooh!" " [Groans]" " That nigger bitch is mine!" "Aah!" "Granddad: [Grunts] Get everybody back to the bus!" " [Grunts] [Belt cracks] - [Groans]" "Aah!" " No!" "Aah!" " [Grunts]" " [Grunts]" " Ohh!" "Come here, nigger. [Grunts] [Grunts]" "Ruckus: [Chuckles]" " [Grunts] - [Belt cracks]" "Granddad:" "What are you doing here?" "Get on the bus!" "We've got to find sturdy and the others." "Granddad:" "Fine, take this." " No." "We are supposed to be non..." " Granddad: [Grunts] Aah!" " [Gasps] - [Growls]" "[Belt cracks]" "[Grunts]" " Robert!" " Aah!" "Diane!" "Aah!" "Get this [beep] off of me!" "Diane now confronts a moral and philosophical dilemma." "Will she fight to save Robert, who's getting his freedom [beep] ass whupped right in front of her eyes?" "Granddad:" "And I was yelling..." "ooh, was I yelling..." ""Woman, what's wrong with you?" "!" "Hit this [beep]."" "Help!" "Hel... aah!" "But what about the strategy of nonviolent direct action?" "Granddad: [beep] that [beep]." "And I'm ashamed to say I made up my mind to hit that white man." "[Gasps]" "[Grunting] Aah!" "[Growls]" "Granddad:" "Nigga, where you been?" "[Growls]" " Granddad:" "I got you now, [beep]" " Robert, no!" " [Growls]" " Granddad:" "Aah!" " Granddad:" "Nigga, what are you doing?" "!" " Robert, you have to trust me." "[Grunts]" "Granddad:" "Nigga, I'm gonna kill you!" "Turn the other cheek, Robert." " Tell that man he's your brother." " Granddad:" "What?" "!" "[Gunshot]  Whoa!" "All right, that's it!" "Y'all had your fun!" "You mean I come down here for nothing?" "I came down here to beat up a nigger!" " [Groans]" " Ow." "Oh, what a stunning victory, brothers and sisters." "You not-fought bravely." "Granddad:" "Stunning victory?" "!" "Maybe you haven't been keeping up on current events, but we just got our asses kicked, pal." "You're gonna get us all killed." "Death is a small price to pay for freedom." "Granddad:" "Well, I say death is a pretty big [beep] price to pay for anything!" "You know what your problem is?" "You want to die." "You got a death wish." "Excuse me?" "Granddad:" "You heard me." "This isn't about freedom." "This is about you." "You want to be a martyr for the cause." "Uh, freedom fellers?" "We got a problem." "This guy won't let me get around, and I found this." "I think it's for y'all." "The riders were about to see how far the Klan would go to stop that bus." ""Dear niggas..." "I hope this note finds you well." "In the interest of you taking your agitating black asses back to where you came from, a bomb has been placed on this bus." "That bomb will detonate if the bus exceeds 15 miles an hour."" "Ruckus: [Chuckles] Oh, that's right." "It was like the opposite of that cinematic classic "Speed,"" "starring the great Keanu Reeves and that American sweetheart, Sandra Bullock." ""If you stop the bus, the bomb will not explode." "If anyone leaves the bus, the bomb will not explode."" "Ruckus: "And if you turn that bus around and leave decent white folks alone, then the bomb will not explode."" "Huh." "If you ask me, I think that was perfectly reasonable." "Oh, my goodness." "What are we going to do?" "[Tires screech] [Door hisses]" "Sorry, there, freedom fellers..." "Time and a half just ain't worth it." "Granddad:" "Well, it's been real..." "hope you reach the promised land." "The struggle needs you, Robert." "Granddad:" "Nigga, if you don't get out of my way... [beep] I'm mostly Indian on my mama side, anyway." "I can't let you off this bus, Robert." "Your people are depending on you." "Granddad:" "You know that's kidnapping, right?" "I should have called the police on his ass." "But I was like, "let me?" "I'm a grown-ass man." "I do what the hell I want."" "No!" "[Sobbing]" "No!" "I want off the bus!" "Please, let me go!" "So, with a bomb on the bus and Sturdy basically holding Robert captive, the bus continued on toward Mississippi very slowly." "Granddad:" "I don't know how long we were on that bus." "All I know is they kept singing that same damn song over and over." "All: ♪ ain't gonna let nobody turn me around ♪" "♪ Turn me around, turn me around ♪" "♪ Ain't gonna let... ♪" "As we were approaching the Mississippi state line, we saw a black car on the side of the road, and there was a gentleman waving us down." "President Kennedy, who was greatly embarrassed by the controversy generated by the freedom riders, had sent a staffer from the justice department to intercept the riders before they got to Mississippi." "I'm here to tell you to turn back." "This man informed them that there was a virtual army of local cops and state troopers with orders to shoot the bus on sight." "Thanks for the warning, sir." "Let's go." "Granddad:" "We going home?" "Finally." "No." "We're going to Mississippi." "Damn it, men." "Are you crazy?" "Granddad:" "Yes!" "He's crazy!" "And he's holding me hostage." "Save me!" "Sir, you should know that we all signed our wills" " before we left for this trip." " Granddad:" "I didn't!" "She's right." "If we stop now, then those who would oppress us shall know that bats, bombs, and guns are all they need to scare us." "Granddad:" "That's all they need to scare me!" "We have wounded." "Perhaps you can take them to get help." "But the three of us... we're going on." "Granddad:" "No!" "Please!" "I don't want to get back on the bus!" " Fine." " Granddad:" "No, not fine!" "This is not fine!" "My God, you kids are crazy." "But brave." "So brave." "Granddad:" "What?" "!" "No!" "No, you're just encouraging them!" "No!" "[Sobbing]" "I want to go north!" "You tell 'em I want 'em lining the streets, the rooftops, everywhere you can get 'em." "These niggers will not cross the state line." "Ruckus?" "Ruckus:" "Brave white men of law enforcement, you are the last line of defense for the white man's entire glorious way of life." "If that bus crosses this line, it sets off a series of irreversible changes." "First, there will be integrated diners and bathrooms and then schools." "There will be nigger quarterbacks, niggers winning Academy Awards, niggers playing doctors on television, eventually, even the White House won't be white." "White men, you must stop this bus!" "Good." "Now scram before someone shoots your black ass by mistake." "Ruckus:" "Oh, oh, yes, sir, Mr. Bull, sir." "Granddad: [Whimpering]" "Turn back." "Please, don't do this." "Please." " Open fire!" " [Gunshots]" "Aah!" "No!" "Aah!" "Granddad:" "Please, please, please, please." "Be strong." "God will protect us." "Granddad:" "Oh, shut the [beep] up!" "Aah!" "[Both screaming] Please!" "I'm going north!" "We're almost there." "Keep firing!" "Keep firing!" "[Glass shattering]" "[Engine hissing]" "Hold it right there." "I'm with the justice department." "And on behalf of the president, I'm here to ensure these three are not harmed." "If they are, you'll be brought up on federal charges." "Sir, you tell the president that in the state of Mississippi, we obey the law." "Good luck." "One day, your nation will thank you." "Granddad: [Exhales deeply] Aah!" "♪ Ain't gonna let nobody turn me around ♪" "♪ Turn me around, turn me around ♪" "♪ Ain't gonna let nobody turn me around ♪" "♪ Turn me around ♪" " Shut up!" " ♪ Turn me around ♪"