Original Freedom Riders Donate Personal Collections To Emory University

In the heart of Georgia, a profound chapter of American history unfolds. Rich with stories of courage and resilience, Georgia has long been a cornerstone in the struggle for civil rights. 

This legacy is further enriched as the collection of civil rights archives is expanded at Emory University’s Rose Library. This expansion, which includes the letters, books, diaries, and handwritten notes of two original Freedom Riders, Joan Browning and Charles Person, honors the past and is a beacon of inspiration and education for future generations.

Freedom Riders like Person and Browning played a crucial role in the battle for justice and equality. Today, these Freedom Riders are contributing to the historical record once again, as their contributions to the expansion of the Rose Library’s civil rights archives uncover and document stories that have been overlooked or underrepresented. Browning and Person are among the few original Freedom Riders who are still living. Their donated collections include a treasure trove of photographs, letters written from their prison cells, songs, academic journals, and artifacts. 

Some of the most notable pieces included the original typewriter that “Lift Every Voice and Sing”--also known as the Black National Anthem–was written on, a scrap of paper with Martin Luther King Jr.'s personal phone number written on it, an original leather-bound publication written by Carter G. Woodson, the selected writings of James Weldon Johnson, and diaries of jail experiences authored in Fulton County.

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Original typewriter used to write "Lift Every Voice and Sing."

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Copies of the collaborative memoir "Deep in Our Hearts" and "Buses Are a Comin': Memoir of a Freedom Rider" by Charles Person, were added to Rose Library's archives.

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A written list of ideas, a handwritten letter, and Martin Luther King Jr.'s personal phone number.

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Joan Browning and Charles Person laugh and reminisce.

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Typewritten copy of "Diary of Jail Experiences," written in Fulton County Jail.

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An original copy of the musical score to "Lift Every Voice and Sing."

During the civil rights movement, Browning and Person risked their lives to stand up to racial inequalities and faced brutal opposition from segregationists and law enforcement. They were both arrested for their participation in the Albany Movement in South Georgia, and Person was beaten when his bus crossed into Alabama while he was participating in the Freedom Rides.  

Browning and Person’s courageous acts of defiance during the Freedom Rides and their documentation of the realities of imprisonment during the Albany Movement provide first-hand accounts of their experiences and show history is not static; it is an ever-evolving narrative. To truly honor and explain history, it must be preserved and enhanced. By preserving these stories and the oral history accompanying them, future generations are provided a model to continue the fight for justice. 

Moreover, the archives serve as a reminder of the power of collective action and underscore the impact of grassroots activism. The letters and documents serve as a testament to the fact that every voice and every action, no matter how small, can contribute to larger societal change. The archives and their authors show that the fight for civil rights was not just about leaders like Dr. King, but also about the countless individuals who contributed in myriad ways, often at great personal risk. 

“You gotta do something with your life," said Browning when thinking back on her contributions to the civil rights movement. "You might as well do something meaningful."