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Crisis Response

Freedom Riders violently attacked by mob in Birmingham, Alabama

On May 20, Freedom Riders arriving in Birmingham were met by a white mob that beat riders and subjected them to severe violence while local police failed to protect them.

Freedom Riders violently attacked by mob in Birmingham, Alabama

The brutal attack underscored the federal government's challenge in enforcing desegregation, galvanized national outrage, and increased pressure on the Kennedy administration to respond to civil-rights violations.

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