Bill Johnson speaks to the Immigrant Workers Freedom Ride

Rochester's Mayor Bill Johnson spoke to approximately 350 in attendance
at the Crozier Theological Seminary Auditorium Monday night, September
29, 2003.

Rochester's Mayor Bill Johnson spoke to approximately 350 in attendance
at the Crozier Theological Seminary Auditorium Monday night, September
29, 2003.

Johnson spoke of the original people to use the term href="http://iwfr.org/civilhistory.asp">"Freedom Ride" and drew
a comparison between "those freedom riders and those of you who are
here tonight."

"We forget href="http://www.watson.org/~lisa/blackhistory/civilrights-55-65/freeride.html">how
bad things were for African-Americans as recently as forty-three
years ago," said Johnson.

The mayor expressed confidence in the cause of the freedom riders present
tonight, saying "You are asking for the very same rights as all other
Americans." He also said, regarding any naysayers, "It's because of
you that they can eat."

He told those present that before he came to Rochester, he lived for many
years in the southeastern United States. He compared the discouraging
words that were said to those embarking on that Greyhound in 1961, to
"my people" ... yet ... "it was done. -- You will have your rights too."

Johnson spoke to an enthusiastic crowd, pausing at times for their
spontaneous chanting ("Yes, we can!")

He closed by telling them of another tie to earlier crusaders for
justice that the very place they were eating tonight had. "Crozier was
where Martin Luther King studied. So tonight you are here with Martin
Luther King."