The Black History They Buried: Reverse Freedom Rides, & How They Still Exist Today

The Reverse Freedom Rides are the lesser talked about tactic of 20th century conservatives, which lured poor Black families from the deep South to the North with the false promise of jobs.

Two unidentified women, residents of Hyannis, Mass., help some of the nine children of Lela Mae Williams (not in photo) off the bus, June 8, 1962 at Hyannis on their arrival from Huttig, Ark. // Frank C. Curtin/AP

Growing up, it seemed to me that the Freedom Riders of the 1960s were some of the bravest people in history.

I couldn’t imagine boarding a gre…