WBHM’s powerful “living history” stories about the Freedom Riders and a brave 12 year old girl

ByPat Byington
LAST UPDATED09/24/18

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This month, WBHM’s Dan Carsen produced several powerful and emotional news stories about the Freedom Riders and the bus burning that occurred in Anniston, Alabama, 56 years ago.

Take a few minutes today – visit the WBHM webpage and listen to the interviews with Hank Thomas, a Freedom Rider on the bus that burned and Janie Forsyth McKinney, at the time the 12 year old girl who gave the riders glasses of water after the freedom riders escaped the bus burning bus.

Here are the stories:

Living History: A Freedom Rider Shares His Story

She Brought Water to the Freedom Riders: “I Couldn’t Let It Pass”

In January, President Obama declared the former Greyhound bus station in downtown Anniston and the land where the bus was burned a National Monument.

Hank Thomas summed it up best. “We have changed the character of the country. And I am so glad to have been a part of the army that won that battle.”

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Pat Byington

Longtime conservationist. Former Executive Director at the Alabama Environmental Council and Wild South. Publisher of the Bama Environmental News for more than 18 years. Career highlights include playing an active role in the creation of Alabama's Forever Wild program, Little River Canyon National Preserve, Dugger Mountain Wilderness, preservation of special places throughout the East through the Wilderness Society and the strengthening (making more stringent) the state of Alabama's cancer risk and mercury standards.

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