America's First Freedom Rider

America's First Freedom Rider

Constant Wonder

Martin Luther King Day (originally aired on January 14, 2021)

Episode: Martin Luther King Day (originally aired on January 14, 2021)

  • Jan 18, 2021 8:00 pm
  • 21:49 mins

We all know the story of Rosa Parks, a woman whose refusal to give up her seat on a bus became the catalyst for public transit boycotts and desegregation efforts. But here's the story of Elizabeth Jennings, a woman who did nearly the same thing, 100 years earlier, before the Civil War. Her efforts led to the desegregation of transit in New York City. Guest: Jerry Mikorenda, author of "America's First Freedom Rider: Elizabeth Jennings, Chester A. Arthur, and the Early Fight for Civil Rights"