WSB-TV (Television station : Atlanta, Ga.)

Description

In this WSB newsfilm clip from December 10, 1961 police chief Laurie Pritchett speaks to reporters following the arrest of Freedom Riders in Albany, Georgia.The clip begins with a reporter introducing chief Pritchett and asking him to explain what happened when the Freedom Riders arrived in Albany the day before. Chief Pritchett begins by explaining that the police department had learned about the Freedom Ride through the Southwest Georgian, the local African American weekly newspaper as well as through the local office of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). Pritchett reports that while the train station is usually quiet on Sunday afternoons, on the day the Freedom Riders arrived, a crowd started gathering around the train station about three p.m. Policemen were stationed around the station both in uniforms and in plain clothes. According to Pritchett, after the interracial group of nine riders arrived at the train station they moved into the waiting room. Pritchett then ordered the police officers to block off the doors to protect the Freedom Riders. He then says that he asked the Freedom Riders if they were planning to stay in town or move on. When the Freedom Riders said they were going to stay in town, Pritchett says he asked them to "proceed on to where they were going to avoid causing trouble." Pritchett explains that the Freedom Riders left the waiting room and were greeted outside by a large group of African Americans who blocked the street. Pritchett indicates that he had the...

Record Contributed By

Walter J. Brown Media Archives and Peabody Awards Collection

Record Harvested From

Digital Library of Georgia