Buses Are a Comin'

A teenager's firsthand account of the 1961 Freedom Rides, a defining moment in the Civil Rights Movement, and a resounding call to action for today's youth.
At 18, Charles Person became the youngest of the original Freedom Riders, a group of black and white activists who boarded buses to challenge segregation in the American South. Alongside future icons like John Lewis and James Farmer, Person embarked on a journey from Washington, D.C. to New Orleans, testing the Supreme Court's ruling that declared segregation in bus depots, waiting areas, restaurants, and restrooms unconstitutional.
As the buses ventured through the Deep South, they were met with violence and resistance. In Alabama, one bus was firebombed, its passengers narrowly escaping. The other, carrying Person, was brutally attacked by a white mob that beat the riders nearly to death. Buses Are a Comin' offers an unflinching view of the battle against segregation, as Person and his fellow riders stepped off the buses and into history.
More than a memoir, this book is a rousing challenge to today's young people to become agents of change. With unwavering conviction, Person shows how students can make a difference, youth have a voice, and everyone has the power to create a more just society.