Anniston in Calhoun County, Alabama — The American South (East South Central)
Prelude
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Arrival
| | Freedom Riders National Monument | |
Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, February 26, 2023
1. Prelude / Arrival Marker
Just before this picture of the Greyhound Bus Depot at 1031 Gurnee (below left) was taken, approximately 75 men had gathered in front of it. They quickly dispersed as free-lance photographer for The Anniston Star, Joe Postiglione aimed his camera.
The depot manager had called the Anniston police chief throughout the morning to tell him the crowd was "growing uglier by the minute," and asked for officers to be dispatched. When they didn't come, he ordered the terminal shut down around 12:10 p.m. and put a "closed" sign on the door. Later he and his son (pictured by the sign) returned as spectators.
Arrival 12:54 p.m.
The bus neared the Greyhound station just before one o'clock, traveling north on Gurnee where it turned right at 11th and entered the station from the alley behind. Note the cars lining the street. Any other Sunday afternoon, the street would be deserted.
The driver and passengers had been warned earlier by a southbound bus driver outside the city that the station was closed and that an angry crowd had gathered. FBI files note that the car seen at the back of the photo was rumored to be filled with "500 pieces of ammunition." Freedom Rider Hank Thomas remembers the strange feeling he experienced as the bus pulled in. "It was very quiet for a
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Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Civil Rights • Roads & Vehicles.
Location. 33° 39.481′ N, 85° 49.87′ W. Marker is in Anniston, Alabama, in Calhoun County. It can be reached from Gurnee Avenue south of West 11th Street, on the left when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1031 Gurnee Ave, Anniston AL 36201, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in East Alabama. It is also in the American South and specifically in the Deep South. Globally, it is in North America, a Gulf of Mexico state, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the original Cherokee Nation, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: The Segregationists (here, next to this marker); The Ambush / The Police (here, next to this marker); The Selection Process (here, next to this marker); Pursuit / Trapped (here, next to this marker); Who Were the Riders? (here, next to this marker); Horror and Disbelief (here, next to this marker); The Freedom Rides (here, next to this marker); The Burning Bus (here, next to this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Anniston.
Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker.
Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, February 26, 2023
2. Prelude / Arrival Marker
Featured marker is fifth from left (adjacent to the rear of the bus mural).
Credits. This page was last revised on March 3, 2023. It was originally submitted on March 3, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 356 times since then and 22 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on March 3, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
