PBS is giving students a chance to experience an important part of the history of the American civil rights movement. The public television station is currently accepting applications through Jan. 17, 2011 to join 40 students from across the country in retracing the 1961 Freedom Rides next May.

The PBS program, called "American Experience," will cover all transportation, hotel, and food expenses for the 10-day trip from Washington, D.C. to Jackson, Miss. The trip seeks to elicit dialogue concerning the meaning of civic engagement today. Participants will share their experiences through live blogging and social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter. The 2011 Student Freedom Rides, called "Get on the Bus," is part of a promotional campaign for Stanley Nelson’s documentary "Freedom Riders," premiering May 6, 2011.

The original Freedom Riders consisted of 13 individuals who intended to challenge racial equality in public transportation by traveling by bus from Washington D.C. to New Orleans, La. After encountering violence, this original group decided, in the interest of safety, to end their trip in Birmingham, Ala. and travel to New Orleans by plane. Inspired by this first attempt, students from all over the country began challenging racial equality laws across the South, facing not only harassment, but also imprisonment. By the last Freedom Ride in September 1961, over 400 people had participated.

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.