Final answer:
The Freedom Riders were individuals who participated in a civil rights campaign known as the Freedom Rides in 1961. Their purpose was to challenge segregation on interstate transportation and protest segregated waiting rooms.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Freedom Riders were individuals who participated in a civil rights campaign known as the Freedom Rides in 1961. The purpose of the Freedom Rides was to challenge segregation on interstate transportation and protest segregated waiting rooms in southern terminals. These activists rode buses through southern states, facing violence and discrimination along the way.
The Freedom Rides were important because they drew national attention to the issue of segregation and put pressure on the federal government to enforce desegregation laws. They also inspired many people to join the civil rights movement and fight for equal rights for all Americans.