The purpose of the Freedom Riders in 1961 was to challenge segregation in interstate travel.

This group of civil rights activists, both Black and white, rode on buses through the Southern United States to test the enforcement of desegregation laws following the Supreme Court's decision in Boynton v. Virginia. They aimed to confront discriminatory practices at bus terminals and promote civil rights. Facing violent opposition, the Freedom Riders brought national attention to the struggle against segregation, galvanizing support for the Civil Rights Movement and ultimately contributing to the passage of more robust civil rights legislation.