Who founded Core and organized the Freedom Rides?

The Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) was founded in 1942 by a group of activists including James Farmer, George Houser, and Bayard Rustin. The Freedom Rides, which aimed to challenge segregation in interstate bus travel, were organized by CORE in 1961. These rides involved mixed-race groups traveling through the South to confront discriminatory practices directly. The actions of CORE and the Freedom Riders played a significant role in the Civil Rights Movement.