Freedom Ride driver shares his story

Jim Ruth

We are always so excited when people call and say they've heard about us on the radio, TV or newspaper, but it was an especially nice surprise to get a call a week ago from Mr. Jim Ruth. He had heard about our new exhibit on Channel 3 news (a short sound bite they had picked up from the AP).

Mr. Ruth began to tell me his story... of being the youngest driver Trailways ever hired in Nashville .... that he was the first driver to take a group of Freedom Riders from Nashville to Jackson, Miss in 1961. ... and he was and still is a resident of West Tennessee.  What a find! Or rather what a blessing that he found us!

Mr. Ruth autographs a picture of himself for Tennessee State Museum Curator of Social History Graham Perry during the installation of the exhibit "We Shall Not Be Moved: 50th Anniversary of Tennessee's Civil Rights Sit-Ins" at the West Tennessee Delta Heritage Center December 8, 2011.

He was coming through Brownsville the next day and wanted to stop and see the exhibit. I explained the curator of the exhibit would be here and I was sure would want to meet him. I also invited him to come back on Friday for our Opening Reception. He immediately accepted.

The next day Mr, Ruth shows up with memorabilia of his early days with Trailways and other Freedom Ride artifacts. I couldn't help but ask if we could include them as part of our companion exhibit and happily he agreed to leave them.

Mr. Ruth tells his story to O. G. Stewart at the Opening Reception of "We Shall Not Be Moved" Friday evening, December 9, 2011.

This gracious man is full of interesting stories, but what stands out more than anything is the fact that he considers it a privilege to have driven that bus. He was doing his part for his fellow man in a day and time when he was certainly ridiculed and in mortal danger. Luckily the ride went smoothly and everyone remained safe on this particular voyage. Other Freedom rides were not so lucky.

Ruth's memorabilia, from the 1961 experience and recent honors, on exhibit at the West Tennessee Delta Heritage Center.

Within the last year, Mr. Ruth has had opportunity to reunited with several of those who shared that ride in 1961. He says they were the best group he'd ever driven. From what I hear they seem to be as complimentary of him as he is them.

Hoofbeats in the Heartland opens August 24

 A cavalry and military commander in the war, Nathan Bedford Forrest is one of the war's most unusual figures. He was one of the few officers in either army to enlist as a private and be promoted to general officer and division commander by the end of the war.

 The traveling exhibition “Hoofbeats in the Heartland: Civil War Cavalry in Tennessee” will open at the West Tennessee Delta Heritage Center, in Brownsville, Tenn., Wednesday, August 24. The exhibit is organized by the Tennessee State Museum and funded in part by a grant from the Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area.

Hoofbeats in the Heartland will look at how Tennessee’s strategic location would make it a major battleground of the Western Theater. As both sides maneuvered, raided, fought, and occupied the state, nearly every community experienced the heavy hand of war. While few communities witnessed large battles, nearly every community experienced soldiers on horseback as part of a raiding force, occupying army, or as members of the numerous guerilla or partisan bands. 

The exhibition Hoofbeats in the Heartland will introduce the soldiers and the evolution of cavalry tactics in the Civil War. Visitors to the exhibit will meet the leaders such as Nathan Bedford Forrest and John Wilder and learn how their personalities affected the mounted warfare. Learn about the typical cavalry trooper, the nearly one million horses and mules that died during the Civil War and the mounted spies and scouts used to gain intelligence about the opposition.

Throughout the state both sides dealt with small bands of guerilla or partisan fighters mounted on horseback. These groups, some holding legitimate commissions from their respective governments, manifested in nearly every Tennessee county.

Visitors will also learn how the homefront sometimes became the frontlines and the role of the African-American troops. Significant battles will also be discussed including Fort Pillow in West Tennessee.

Hoofbeats in the Heartland will remain on display at the West Tennessee Delta Heritage Center until October 31. The Center is a tourist information center and three regional museums located off of Interstate 40 at Exit 56 in Brownsville. The Center is open seven days a week and is free to the public. For more information, call 731-779-9000 or visit www.westtnheritage.com.