Francis Randall, a white college professor, and Ralph Diamond, a black union official, were understandably nervous when they ordered lunch at the St. Petersburg Greyhound station on June 16. Thirteen fellow Freedom Riders had been arrested in Tallahassee and Ocala that day, and neither man knew what had become of them. But the day turned out well: Randall and Diamond dined without incident in segregated St. Petersburg, then learned their compatriots were already out of jail. For the Freedom Riders, who were traveling the South testing compliance with the Civil Rights Act of 1960, St. Petersburg proved a pleasant memory. Reached recently in New York, where he teaches history at Sarah Lawrence College, Randall read from his journal of the trip: “Under whatsoever circumstances we may be asked, ‘What did you do for the liberation of your fellow man?’ we can all answer, ‘In June 1961, we took a bus ride to Florida.’ ” • THE FREEDOM RIDERS • Times photo by JACK RAMSDELL

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