Reminder: Freedom Rider Thomas speaks at 5 p.m. today

Just a friendly reminder that Hank Thomas, one of the original Civil Rights-era Freedom Riders, will be speaking at 5 p.m. today (Wednesday) in the Phoenix Room. The event, part of UW-Green Bay’s Black History Month lineup, will feature Thomas’ personal reflections and excerpts from a Freedom Riders documentary. Thomas, 70, was just 19 years old when he boarded an integrated bus bound for the Deep South, part of a protest against racial segregation. He and his fellow Freedom Riders risked imprisonment and death in pursuit of justice and the greater good. Thomas spoke this afternoon to a group of faculty and staff, offering a stirring account of the past, along with thought-provoking reflections on the present and future of race relations in this country. Today’s 5 p.m. address is free and open to the public. We’ll have photos and more in tomorrow’s edition of the LOG.