What was the main goal of the Freedom Rides in 1961?

• A. To promote interracial dialogue
• B. To challenge segregation in interstate travel
• C. To register African American voters
• D. To integrate schools

Answer: (B)

The Freedom Rides in 1961 primarily aimed to challenge segregation in interstate travel. Organized by civil rights activists, these rides sought to test and enforce the Supreme Court's decision in Boynton v. Virginia, which declared segregation on interstate buses to be unconstitutional. By traveling through the South on integrated buses and using facilities designated for whites, the riders intended to confront discriminatory practices directly.

The significance of this initiative was not only in its specific objective to integrate bus travel but also in its broader impact on the civil rights movement. The efforts of the Freedom Riders brought national attention to the ongoing racial discrimination and violence faced by African Americans in the South, subsequently spurring more activism and contributing to legislative changes aimed at ending segregation.

While the other options address important aspects of the civil rights movement, such as voter registration and school integration, they do not directly relate to the specific mission of the Freedom Rides, which was focused on the elimination of segregation in the transportation system.