Veterans of the Civil Rights MovementRfertig

June 3, 1961, in Selma, Alabama’s jail Ralph Fertig’s faith in Gandhi was challenged when Klansmen told other prisoners that Fertig was in the South to encourage African-American men to sleep with white women.

Ralph Fertig, one of the 400+ participants in the Freedom Ride movement was motivated to take part of the event after a phone call from C.T. Vivian. At the time of the call Fertig was working for Chicago Freedom Action Committee as a social worker. This committee raised money and passed leaflets for the Freedom Ride movement. During his time of his employment he was not participating in the rallies or sit-ins, he was just supporting the movement in the background. Upon the call from Vivian, requesting the individuals on the committee that they keep up their momentum for the movement, motivated Fertig to be on his way to Atlanta.

"They started working me over," said Fertig. "I tried my damnedest to remain nonviolent. They told me a necktie party was waiting for me outside." Fertig’s efforts for ending desegregation and helping raising awareness, consciousness of horrors of the Supreme Court of segregation amongst the Blacks and White only caused him to a trip to jail. In jail he was contained with other white prisoners. "I might as well been jailed with the Blacks." Fertig said a black orderly he knew by Dave, saved his life. He saved his life by constantly mopping the floor, inhibiting the assailants by his presence. The assailants were in fear that he may be a witness to Fertig’s death. Every rib in Fertig’s body was broken, but "it was one of the proudest moments of my life, I knew what I was doing was right." The next day three black Alabama lawyers obtained the release of Fertig. After Fertig paid a $25 fine for disturbing the peace he was a free man again.

"So many went out of their way to help me I figured I owed it to the civil rights movement to become a lawyer." Ralph Fertig is a retired federal Administrative Judge who has published many articles on human rights, social welfare, politics, and the law. He has been a lifelong activist for social justice, became a Freedom Rider, organized sit-ins and marches, picketed, and became a member of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights. He has published his own book Love and Liberation: When the Jews Tore Down the Ghetto Walls.