Freedom Riders - May 14

Freedom Riders - May 14

Learning About Our History

Thursday, May 14, 2026

Today is Shades Day, International Dylan Thomas Day, National Buttermilk Biscuit Day, and National Chicken Dance Day.

Today's Birthdays
Songs of the Day
Poem of the Day
Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month Resource of the Day
Today's Theme: Freedom Riders

ON THIS DATE

  • 1607 - Jamestown, Virginia, is settled as an English colony.
  • 1796 -  Edward Jenner administers his first smallpox inoculation.
  • 1948 - Israel is declared an independent state.
  • 1955 - Eight Communist bloc countries sign the Warsaw Pact, a mutual defense treaty.
  • 1961 - A white mob attacks a Freedom Riders bus near Anniston, Alabama, attacking the riders and fire-bombing the bus.
  • 1973 - The space station Skylab is launched.
  • 1998 - The final episode of Seinfeld airs.

BIRTHDAYS

SONG OF THE DAY 

  • Talking Heads - Once in a Lifetime - LISTEN
  • Timbuk 3 - The Futures So Bright -  LISTEN
  • ZZ Top -   Cheap Sunglasses  - LISTEN
  • Corey Hart - I Wear My Sunglasses At Night -LISTEN

POEM OF THE DAY
Poetry and the Civil Rights Movement - Poetry Foundation

ASIAN AMERICAN & PACIFIC ISLANDER HERITAGE MONTH RESOURCE OF THE DAY

Why Do We Say, "Asian American," Not "Oriental"? | Origin of Everything

THEME:  Freedom Riders

    • Grades 5-12 - NHPBS LearningMedia - American Experience - Freedom Riders Collection - VIEW, READ, DO
    • Grades 5-12 - NHPBS Video - American Experience - Freedom Riders - Chapter One (10:12) - VIEW
    • Grades 5-12 - National Park Service -  Freedom Riders National Monument - READ
    • Grades 5-12 - NHPBS LearningMedia - The Freedom Rides of 1961 Collection - VIEW
    • Grades 7-12 - NHPBS Video - ETV Classics - Connections: Freedom Riders (2011) (26:46) - VIEW
    • Grades 7-12 - NHPBS Video - A Fire in Anniston: A Freedom Riders Story (56:46) - VIEW
    • Grades 7-12 - NHPBS Video - Amanpour and Company - 60 Years Since the Freedom Riders: What Has Changed? (18:05) - VIEW
    • Grades 7-12 - NHPBS Video - Metrofocus - Back on the Bus (8:55) - VIEW
    • Grade 7-12 - American Archive of Public Broadcasting - Freedom Rider Interviews - VIEW
    • Grades 7-12 - Mississippi Department of Archives and History -  A Freedom Rider's Journey Lesson Plan - DO
    • Grades 7-12 - The Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and Education Institute, Stanford University - Freedo Rides - READ
    • Grades 7-12 - CSPAN - Freedom Riders (12:00) - VIEW
    • Grades 9-12 - Carolina K-12 - The Freedom Rides of 1961 - Lesson Plan - DO

    More Learning Resources

    Looking for some super cool crafts to do with your kids? Or maybe you need some expert parenting resources to help raise your child? You can find it all right here:

    PBS KIDS CRAFTS & PBS PARENTING TIPS

    PBS LearningMedia

    PBS LearningMedia

    NHPBS and PBS have curated FREE, standards-aligned videos, interactives, lesson plans, and more for educators. You can also create your own lessons and assignments to meet the needs of your students.

    Annenberg

    Annenberg Learner

    Searchable online video courses and interactives across the curriculum and grade levels in areas like chemistry, literature, music, the visual arts, social studies, world languages storytelling, spelling and lots more.

    Brainpop

    Brainpop

    Features over 1,000 animated shorts and quizzes for students in grades K-12 covering science, social studies, English, math, the arts, health, and technology.  The service is free to schools closed due to COVID-19.

    Scholastic

    Scholastic Learn At Home

    Everyday Scholastic will feature four learning experiences, built around a story or video.

    Storyline Online

    StoryLine Online

    A series of imaginatively produced videos featuring celebrated actors reading children's books.

    Local Learning Resources

    The best of NH learning resources from around the state.

    • Cheshire County Historical Society

    • New Hampshire Public Radio:

      • Civics 101 -  Tons of great (and free!) audio, activities, resources, and lessons to help you stay engaged with civics.
      • Ask Sam - Ask Sam features Outside/In host Sam Evans-Brown answering listener questions about the mysteries and quirks of the natural world.

    • Seacoast Science Center in Odiorne Point State Park

      • Learning Connection - Even though their doors are closed, we’re still here to connect you to the inspirational powers of nature and engage you in learning. 

    • Squam Lakes Natural Science Center

    • Strawbery Banke Museum

      • Online Learning - Virtual Tours, the Virtual Classroom, artifacts of the week, featured items from the Collections, Horticulture Learning Center materials, and more.

    • Tiger Takes On

     

    PBS KIDS!

    PBS Kids for Teachers/Caregivers/Parents

    • PBS for Parents
      A guide of PBS resources targeted for parents teaching kids, features a great activity finder
    • PBS Education
      The greatest teachers ignite a love of learning and a sense of possibility that motivates students to reach their full potential.
    • PBS Teachers' Lounge
      This site has great teaching tips, ideas, resources and support for teachers.
    • PBS KIDS Games app
      Offers nearly 200 educational games, which can be downloaded for offline play anytime, anywhere. 

    Contact Us

    Susan Adams
    Education Manager
    sadams@nhpbs.org
    Phone: 603-868-4455
    Fax: 603-868-7552