Reverse Freedom Riders – Finding Ancestors and Relatives Who Participated

The "Reverse" Freedom Rides were Jim Crow's way of attempting to turn the tide of northerners trying to integrate the South by sending black southerners to integrate predominately white northern cities during the American Civil Rights Movement. One branch of the Atlas family, the family of Pierce Calvin Thompson, Sr., participated in a reverse ride from New Orleans, LA to Nashua, NH.  This was due to the fact that Pierce could not obtain work in New Orleans, LA because of his sisters involvement in the NAACP, CORE, and various voter registration and integration activities.

As mentioned in a previous post, many of these "reverse" freedom rides ended up unsuccessful.  Those who participated were give one way tickets to their destinations, and most times, that was it.  People on the receiving end would have to help out with jobs, housing, etc., but this did not always take place. 

In honor of Black History Month, this blog will give details about some of those who participated in this “second” great migration in hopes that someone in their family, who may be looking for information on their reverse ride, may be able to now find it.  All articles were accessed via Ancestry.Com's Newspaper Collection, which is fed into the site, in part, by NewspaperArchive.Com.  As found, more information will be added.


Information compiled as of February 17, 2011

Alabama

Mrs. Mamie Lee Underwood

• Origin of Ride:  Centreville, Bibb County, AL
• Destination:  Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, OH
• Date:  Saturday, June 30, 1962
• Ride Sponsored by:  Bibb County Citizens Council
• Details:  Given $5 per person and $190 Greyhound bus tickets
• Notes:  A family of 12 (including Mamie and a grandchild):  Yvetta Brown (age 15, mother of an infant child), Johnnie Underwood, age 14; Peggy Lee, age 12; Mary Alice, age 11; Bobby, age 10; Gary, age 9; Clar Gean, age 7; Nora Lee, age 5; John D., age 4; Helen Carolyn, age 2.  Article on July 2, 1962 states that Mamie Underwood has a brother (John D. Heard) that lives in Cleveland, OH, lists her age as 36 (born about 1926), and said the Travelers Aid Society took them in.  Also notes that her husband left her 4 years prior (about 1958).  Article on September 27, 1962 states that she requests to be sent back home as she doesn't qualify for relief aid because she hasn't been a resident of Cuyahoga County for a year
• Sources:  The Chronicle Telegram (Elyria, OH), Saturday, June 30, 1962, page 18, “12 Negro Riders Sent to Cleveland;” The Chronicle Telegram (Elyria, OH), Tuesday, July 3, 1962, page 2, “World in a Spin;" The Newark Advocate (Newark, OH), Monday, July 2, 1962, page 2, "Deserted Mother, 10 Children Seek New Life in Ohio;" The Chronicle Telegram (Elyria, OH), Thursday, September 27, 1962, page 33, “Unable to Find work, Wants to Take Family Back South."

Chester “Big Nit” Graham

• Origin of Ride:  Luverne, Crenshaw County, AL
• Destination:  Hyannis Port, Barnstable County, MA and New York, New York County, NY
• Date:  Saturday, June 30, 1962
• Ride Sponsored by:  Luverne, AL Residents (unspecified)
• Details:  Given funds and a round trip ticket to both destinations
• Source:  The Chronicle Telegram (Elyria, OH), Saturday, June 30, 1962, page 18, “12 Negro Riders Sent to Cleveland” 

Willie Nester Graham

• Origin of Ride:  Alabama
• Destination:  Hyannis Port, Barnstable County, MA
• Date:  Tuesday, July 3, 1962
• Ride Sponsored by:  Unknown
• Details:  Age 34 (born about 1928), 468 pounds, stayed for 3 days; may be related to Chester Graham (above)
• Source:  Newport Daily News (Newport, RI), Friday, July 6, 1962, page 11 “Rev. Luther King Cites Vote Use."

Arkansas

Victoria Bell

• Origin of Ride:  Little Rock, Pulaski County, AR
  
• Destination:  Hyannis Port, Barnstable County, MA
  
• Date:  Sunday, May 20, 1962
  
• Ride Sponsored by:  Capital Citizens Council of Little Rock, Pulaski, AR
• Details:  Age 36 (born about 1926), 11 children with her (five boys, six girls), purchased one way tickets, given $60 spending money, was separated from husband for 3 years (about 1959). 
  
• Source:   Troy Record (Troy, NY), Monday, May 21, 1962, Page 18, "12 Freedom Riders Stage Reverse Ride"

Fred D. Calvin

• Origin of Ride:  Little Rock, Pulaski County, AR
  
• Destination:  Hyannis Port, Barnstable County, MA
  
• Date:  Unknown
  
• Ride Sponsored by:  Unspecified
  
• Details:  Age 37 (born about 1925), a construction worker
  
• Source:   The Post Standard (Syracuse, NY), Tuesday, May 22, 1962, Page 3 "Cape Codders Claim South 'Duping Negroes"

 
Dennis Harris or David E. Harris

• Origin of Ride:  Little Rock, Pulaski County, AR
• Destination:  Hyannis Port, Barnstable County, MA
• Date:  Saturday, June 30, 1962
• Ride Sponsored by:  Capital Citizens Council of Little Rock, Pulaski, AR
• Details:  Age 43 (born about 1919) at time of the ride, unemployed cook and veteran of World War II and the Korean War, given one way bus ticket and $10 for spending money. May 22, 1962 article states that Harris will start work on May 23, 1962.
• Source:  Press-Telegram (Long Beach, CA), Friday, May 11, 1962, page 5, “Negro on 'Reverse' Ride to JFK's Town;" The Post Standard (Syracuse, NY), Tuesday, May 22, 1962, Page 3 "Cape Codders Claim South 'Duping Negroes"

Mrs. Estella Mae Pitts

• Hometown:  Lewisville, Lafayette County, AR
• Origin of Ride:  Little Rock, Pulaski County, AR
  
• Destination:  Hammond, Lake County, IN
• Date:  Monday, June 4, 1962
• Ride Sponsored by:  Capital Citizens Council of Little Rock, Pulaski, AR
  
• Details:  Age 37 (born about 1925), said to be 34th rider to leave Little Rock, given one-way bus ticket, broke both legs after falling from a pick up truck in May 1962; sister said to live in Hammond, IN.
  
• Source:  Press-Telegram (Long Beach, CA), Tuesday, June 5, 1962, page 2, “Crippled Negro Take Reverse Freedom Ride."

Theophilus Pruitt

• Origin of Ride:  Little Rock, Pulaski County, AR
  
• Destination:  Hyannis Port, Barnstable County, MA
  
• Date:  Unknown
  
• Ride Sponsored by:  Unspecified
  
• Details:  Age 45 (born about 1917), a cook
  
• Source:   The Post Standard (Syracuse, NY), Tuesday, May 22, 1962, Page 3 "Cape Codders Claim South 'Duping Negroes"

Georgia

George Hooks

• Hometown:  Macon, Bibb County, GA
  
• Origin of Ride:  Little Rock, Pulaski County, AR
  
• Destination:  Hyannis Port, Barnstable County, MA
• Date:  Thursday, May 24, 1962
  
• Ride Sponsored by:  Capital Citizens Council of Little Rock, Pulaski, AR
  
• Details:  Age 40 (born about 1922), wanted to go Philadelphia where he had two sisters, 35th arrival in Hyannis Port.
  
• Source:  Newport Daily News (Newport, RI), Friday, May 25, 1962, page 6, “Reverse Freedom Ride Fines by US Eyed by Bay State."

Louisiana

Alan Gilmore

• Origin of Ride:  Shreveport, Caddo Parish, LA
  
• Destination:  Trenton, Mercer County, NJ
  
• Date:  Sunday, February 10, 1963
  
• Ride Sponsored by:  Louisiana Citizens Council
• Details:  Family of 10, agreed to pay back aid money
  
• Source:  Delta Democrat Times (Greenville, MS), Tuesday, February 12, 1963, page 2, “Reverse Freedom Ride Family Aided."

Mack Johnson, Jr.

• Origin of Ride:  Shreveport, Caddo Parish, LA
  
• Destination:  Hyannis Port, Barnstable County, MA
  
• Date:  Unknown
  
• Ride Sponsored by:  Unspecified
  
• Details:  Age 28 (born about 1934), a construction worker
  
• Source:   The Post Standard (Syracuse, NY), Tuesday, May 22, 1962, Page 3 "Cape Codders Claim South 'Duping Negroes"

Joseph Parker

• Origin of Ride:  New Orleans, Orleans Parish, LA
  
• Destination:  Dayton, Montgomery County, OH
  
• Date:  Saturday, March 23, 1963
  
• Ride Sponsored by:  Unspecified
  
• Details:  Notes that Joseph Parker has a wife and seven children; one teenage son was left back in New Orleans but will join them, wife is expecting the 8th child; NAACP, Urban League, and other groups rented a house for the family and will help Joseph find a job
  
• Source:  The Newark Advocate (Newark, OH), Wednesday, March 27, 1963, page 9, “Negro Family to Move Into Home in Dayton Today."

Johnnis Watson

• Origin of Ride:  Shreveport, Caddo Parish, LA
  
• Destination:  Hyannis Port, Barnstable County, MA
  
• Date:  Unknown
  
• Ride Sponsored by:  Unspecified
  
• Details:  Age 27 (born about 1935), a truck driver
  
• Source:   The Post Standard (Syracuse, NY), Tuesday, May 22, 1962, Page 3 "Cape Codders Claim South 'Duping Negroes"