Charles Person, Youngest Original Freedom Rider, Dies at 82

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Charles Person, the youngest member of the original core group of 13 Freedom Riders who integrated interstate bus stations in the South during the civil rights movement, is photographed at his home Friday, April 22, 2011 in Atlanta. (AP Photo/David Goldman)
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According to The New York Times, Charles Person, the youngest of the 13 original Freedom Riders who traveled from Washington to , , in 1961 to challenge segregation in interstate bus terminals, died on Wednesday, January 8, at his home in Fayetteville, . He was 82.

His daughter, Keisha Person, confirmed the cause was leukemia.

At 18, Person was a freshman at when he joined the Freedom Riders. Despite facing brutal attacks, he remained committed to nonviolent resistance. Their efforts led to federal orders desegregating interstate bus terminals.

A Vietnam veteran and later a civil rights activist, Person co-authored “Buses Are a Comin’” in 2022. He is survived by his wife, children, siblings, and grandchildren.


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