Genevieve Hughes
Encyclopedia
Genevieve Hughes Houghton is known for as one of two women participants in the original 13-person Congress of Racial Equality
(CORE) Freedom Rider and a staff member of CORE
. She grew up in the upper middle class suburb community of Chevy Chase in Washington
. Hughes studied at Cornell
and upon her graduation, moved to New York City
to work as a stockbroker. In the late 1950s she became involved within the New York chapter of CORE, and she organized a boycott
of dime stores that worked with chain restaurants that resisted the sit-in
movements down south. Hughes started to become ostracized from her colleagues on Wall Street
, and she decided to work full time to end racism
(Arsenault, p. 99).
In fall of 1960 she took the position as CORE's field secretary and, in doing so, she was the first woman to serve on CORE's Field Staff. John Lewis spoke of her, "as graceful and gentle as her name" but, "not at all afraid to speak up when she had strong feelings about something" (Arsenault p. 99). When explaining her decision to join the Freedom Rides she said, "I figured southern women should be represented so the south and the nation would realize all southern people do not think alike" (Arsenault, p. 99). During the journey from Washington, DC to New Orleans, she and the other Freedom Riders encountered many acts of violence towards them, particularly in Anniston, Alabama
, where their Greyhound bus was engulfed in flames by angry mobs. She recounts her experience in the Anniston hospital,
"There was no doctor at the hospital, only a nurse. They had me breathe pure oxygen
, but that only burned my throat and did not relieve the coughing. I was burning hot and my clothes were a wet mess. After awhile, Ed and Bert were brought in, choking. We all lay on our beds and coughed. Finally, a woman doctor came in- she had to look up smoke poisoning
before treating us. They brought in the Negro
man who had been in the back of the bus with me. I pointed to him and told them to take care of him. But they did not bring him into our emergency room. I understand that they did not do anything at all for Hank. Thirteen in all were brought in, and three were admitted: Ed, the Negro man, and myself. They gave me a room and I slept. When I woke up, the nurse asked me if I could talk with the FBI. The FBI did not care about us, but only the bombing" (Arsenault, p. 146).
Congress of Racial Equality
The Congress of Racial Equality or CORE was a U.S. civil rights organization that originally played a pivotal role for African-Americans in the Civil Rights Movement...
(CORE) Freedom Rider and a staff member of CORE
Congress of Racial Equality
The Congress of Racial Equality or CORE was a U.S. civil rights organization that originally played a pivotal role for African-Americans in the Civil Rights Movement...
. She grew up in the upper middle class suburb community of Chevy Chase in Washington
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
. Hughes studied at Cornell
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
and upon her graduation, moved to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to work as a stockbroker. In the late 1950s she became involved within the New York chapter of CORE, and she organized a boycott
Boycott
A boycott is an act of voluntarily abstaining from using, buying, or dealing with a person, organization, or country as an expression of protest, usually for political reasons...
of dime stores that worked with chain restaurants that resisted the sit-in
Sit-in
A sit-in or sit-down is a form of protest that involves occupying seats or sitting down on the floor of an establishment.-Process:In a sit-in, protesters remain until they are evicted, usually by force, or arrested, or until their requests have been met...
movements down south. Hughes started to become ostracized from her colleagues on Wall Street
Wall Street
Wall Street refers to the financial district of New York City, named after and centered on the eight-block-long street running from Broadway to South Street on the East River in Lower Manhattan. Over time, the term has become a metonym for the financial markets of the United States as a whole, or...
, and she decided to work full time to end racism
Racism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
(Arsenault, p. 99).
In fall of 1960 she took the position as CORE's field secretary and, in doing so, she was the first woman to serve on CORE's Field Staff. John Lewis spoke of her, "as graceful and gentle as her name" but, "not at all afraid to speak up when she had strong feelings about something" (Arsenault p. 99). When explaining her decision to join the Freedom Rides she said, "I figured southern women should be represented so the south and the nation would realize all southern people do not think alike" (Arsenault, p. 99). During the journey from Washington, DC to New Orleans, she and the other Freedom Riders encountered many acts of violence towards them, particularly in Anniston, Alabama
Anniston, Alabama
Anniston is a city in Calhoun County in the state of Alabama, United States.As of the 2000 census, the population of the city is 24,276. According to the 2005 U.S. Census estimates, the city had a population of 23,741...
, where their Greyhound bus was engulfed in flames by angry mobs. She recounts her experience in the Anniston hospital,
"There was no doctor at the hospital, only a nurse. They had me breathe pure oxygen
Oxygen
Oxygen is the element with atomic number 8 and represented by the symbol O. Its name derives from the Greek roots ὀξύς and -γενής , because at the time of naming, it was mistakenly thought that all acids required oxygen in their composition...
, but that only burned my throat and did not relieve the coughing. I was burning hot and my clothes were a wet mess. After awhile, Ed and Bert were brought in, choking. We all lay on our beds and coughed. Finally, a woman doctor came in- she had to look up smoke poisoning
Smoke inhalation
Smoke inhalation is the primary cause of death in victims of indoor fires.Smoke inhalation injury refers to injury due to inhalation or exposure to hot gaseous products of combustion. This can cause serious respiratory complications....
before treating us. They brought in the Negro
Negro
The word Negro is used in the English-speaking world to refer to a person of black ancestry or appearance, whether of African descent or not...
man who had been in the back of the bus with me. I pointed to him and told them to take care of him. But they did not bring him into our emergency room. I understand that they did not do anything at all for Hank. Thirteen in all were brought in, and three were admitted: Ed, the Negro man, and myself. They gave me a room and I slept. When I woke up, the nurse asked me if I could talk with the FBI. The FBI did not care about us, but only the bombing" (Arsenault, p. 146).