yvonnejones

It is what it is

[Black Media Hub ✊🏿 @BlackMediaHub]

These are actual Freedom Riders, now elderly, sitting together decades after risking their lives to challenge segregation in the American South.
he original courageous Freedom Riders movement began in 1961.

The first group, organized by Congress of Racial Equality (CORE), had 13 original Freedom Riders:
• 7 Black riders
• 6 white riders

They left Washington, D.C. on May 4, 1961, riding interstate buses into the Deep South to challenge segregation in bus terminals after Supreme Court rulings had already declared it unconstitutional.

After brutal mob attacks in Alabama, including the firebombing of a bus in Anniston and savage beatings in Birmingham and Montgomery, more activists joined. The movement quickly expanded beyond the original 13.

By the end of 1961, more than 400 Freedom Riders had participated across the South. Many were arrested and sent to Mississippi’s notorious Parchman Prison.

Hezekiah Watkins
At just 13 years old, Watkins became the youngest Freedom Rider ever arrested. His involvement happened almost by accident when he went to the Jackson, Mississippi, Greyhound station to see the riders arrive. In the chaos, he was swept up by police and sent to the notorious Parchman State Penitentiary. Initially placed on death row to intimidate him, he spent several days in the prison before being released. This traumatic experience did not deter him; he went on to become a lifelong activist, dedicated to educating others about the struggle for justice in Mississippi.

Joan Trumpauer Mulholland
A rare figure in the movement, Mulholland was a white woman from a privileged Southern background who turned her back on social expectations to fight for racial equality. By the time she joined the Freedom Rides, she was already a seasoned activist involved in sit-ins. In 1961, she was imprisoned in Parchman for over two months. She later became the first white student to enroll at Tougaloo College, a historically Black institution, and was a primary organizer for the 1963 March on Washington. She famously survived a near-lynching during the Woolworth’s lunch counter sit-in.

Ameen Tuunagane (Willie James)
Known during the movement as Willie James, Tuunagane was a relentless civil rights organizer and Freedom Rider. He was part of the waves of activists who traveled to Jackson, Mississippi, to challenge Jim Crow laws. His work extended far beyond the buses; he was deeply involved in voter registration drives and community organizing, often operating in high-risk areas where the threat of police and vigilante violence was constant. His commitment focused on the intersection of political power and basic human dignity.

Carol Ruth Silver
A recent law school graduate at the time, Silver joined the Freedom Rides to put her legal principles into practice. She was arrested in Jackson and, like many others, served time in Parchman Penitentiary. During her incarceration, she kept a secret diary on scraps of paper, documenting the harrowing conditions and the psychological tactics used by guards. Her later career was defined by this experience; she became a prominent lawyer and politician in San Francisco, continuing her advocacy for civil rights and educational reform for decades.

Kredelle Pettway
Pettway was a dedicated activist who participated in the movement during the height of the 1960s racial tensions. As a young woman, she joined the ranks of those demanding the desegregation of public facilities in Alabama and Mississippi. Her contribution highlights the essential role of local youth and women in maintaining the momentum of the movement. She faced the constant threat of the Ku Klux Klan and state-sanctioned violence, standing firm in the belief that the "separate but equal" doctrine was a moral and legal failure.

[The Tennessee Holler @TheTNHoller]

SUMNER COUNTY: “Millersville city commissioner David Gregory, 76, arrested and faces charges of Continuous Sexual Assault of a Child and Aggravated Sexual Battery… a bond of $750,000… sexual abuse involving multiple children spanning decades...” https://t.co/m2C8GndVo8

[Hillary Clinton @HillaryClinton]

Juneteenth marks the celebration of America's second independence day.

Like the people in this photo—celebrating the day in 1900—we know that progress hasn't made our union perfect. But we can recommit to reaching toward that more perfect union together.

Happy Juneteenth.

[Amunet @freakoutsideofx]

Mrs. Opal Lee also known as The Grandmother of Juneteenth … born 1926 in Marshall, TX.
She is the reason that Juneteenth became a federally recognized holiday.

[Raphousetv (RHTV) @raphousetv2]

Florida State Linebacker Ethan Pritchard, Who Was Sh*t In The Head 10 Months Ago, Took His First Steps Without A Walker And Then Hugged His Grandma ❤️🙏🥹

[King Roy @RoyIsThaTruth]

A 9 year old boy drowned Monday 6/15/26
in Henrico County, VA after his mother dropped him off for swim camp at SwimRVA-North, located at 317 North Wilkinson Road. It was King’s first day at swim camp and he was excited to learn how to swim.
His mother, LaTaisha Johnson, is demanding answers as to how her son drowned at a swim camp that was meant to teach children how to swim. Henrico Police are refusing to call it a drowning!!! We can’t let them cover this up.
His name was King Overton! 💔💔💔💔

[Amunet @freakoutsideofx]

Awww the legendary Ms. Patti LaBelle 82, and Ms. Gladys Knight 82, who recently celebrated their birthdays were born 4 days apart. 🥳 Happy Birthday beautiful talented Queens

[yvonnejones @ymjones64]

@DollarTree : hey!! Have you been in your store on Lafayette rd in Indianapolis lately?? Left dirty @Walmart , came in here and it was worse !! Not one balloon, trash in carts by the door and 1 cashier. Sheesh get it together! Heading to a cleaner store that’s probably stocked🤬

[yvonnejones @ymjones64]

@Walmart : have you been in your store on Lafayette rd in Indianapolis lately?? So trifling, dirty, none of the necessities i came for. Never will i go in there again, i was passing by , i should have followed my mind and kept going🏃🏾‍♀️‍➡️🏃🏾‍♀️‍➡️🏃🏾‍♀️‍➡️

[Don Salmon @dijoni]

It is black music month so enjoy the music.

[Matthew Shepard Foundation @MattShepardFDN]

Today we honor James Byrd Jr., who was brutally murdered on this day 28 years ago. The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act was signed into law by former President Barack Obama 17 years ago.

[yvonnejones @ymjones64]

My type of weather ✌🏾😎

[CBS News @CBSNews]

A truck driver who helped stop an alleged kidnapping attempt in South Carolina says he credits "delayed divine timing" for being in the direct path of the woman he saved. The video, caught on Anthony Moore's rig dashboard camera, shows how he and another driver called 911 and helped free the handcuffed woman.

[StrongBlackBerries 🫐 🍓 @BerriesStrong]

Malcolm Jamal Warner's tribute to Black American History's Greatest Leaders. This will never get old. #hiphop #actors ⚡️🎤

[Historical Africa @historical_Afr]

To be African American is to be African without any memory and American without any privilege.” —James Baldwin

[Etan Thomas @etanthomas36]

Much Respect DC 👊🏾🍊

[Aria Westcott @AriaWestcott]

Breaking: Your smart TV takes a screenshot of your screen twice every second and sells what it sees.

It is called ACR, and it has been running since you set the TV up.

Texas already sued over it. Here is how to turn it off in under 2 minutes:

[Aria Westcott @AriaWestcott]

ACR is Automatic Content Recognition, and it captures snapshots of everything on your screen. Live TV, streaming, even a console or laptop plugged into HDMI. It fingerprints what you watch and sends it to the maker, tied to your IP.

[yvonnejones @ymjones64]

In Arkansas with family for a funeral. Thank you @edeweysmith for this mighty word this morning.🕊️🌹✝️👋🏾