Civil Rights Staff Riders Visit the “Other Side of the Tracks” in Greenwood, MS. Cadets were invited to a program in the Greenwood, Mississippi city council chamber. Joining community members were veterans excited to meet the uniformed cadets. The program was hosted by two of the area’s leading African-American elected officials, State Sen David L. Jordan and State Representative Willie J. Perkins Sr. The first speaker was the legendary civil rights leader Charles McLaurin who came to Mississippi to register black voters. Greenwood was a significant battlefield in the civil rights movement, but declaring any sort of victory remains very elusive. As we drove south through Greenwood would confirm the existence of an entirely different world. Less than two miles to the south and across a set of railroad tracks lies Baptist Town. It was home to Morgan Freeman, and legendary bluesman Robert Johnson who died there at age 27. Legend has it that Johnson made a deal with the devil, selling his soul for his unparalleled skill on the guitar. Baptist Town is mostly black and poor, with high rates of drug addiction and low rates of employment, it is not unique among the cities and towns that we visited throughout our trip. Each has another side of the tracks, and each has similar problems.
Famed Freedom Rider Meets with 2016 Civil Rights Staff Ride Cadets. Hank Thomas lives in Atlanta, Georgia and for the second time invited the Staff Ride to visit with him and his wife, Yvonne Johnson Thomas. Both were civil rights activists and both are gracious hosts. Thomas like to point out that among the freedom riders on that fateful day were whites, many of whom were Jewish. As the bus burned with the passengers still inside he thought they would die, but there was a small explosion, perhaps the gas tank, which allowed them to all get out. Lying on the ground someone came over to him, and asked if he was alright, then struck Thomas in the head with a baseball bat. The cadets also met with Hollywood screenwriters who are working on a movie about Mr. Thomas and the Freedom Riders.
