Changing how we age: a cause that affects us all by Jenifer Milner

The sit-ins, “Freedom Rides” and marches of the early 1960s were pivotal events in the American civil rights movement. These events not only helped to increase awareness of civil rights issues, but also spurred people across the United States to get involved in fighting discrimination and ending racial segregation. Momentum that had been building over years grew in the court of public opinion. The time was ripe for change. In May 2011, when the first African-American president proclaimed the 50th Anniversary of the Freedom Rides, it was a potent reminder of how far society has come since those protests. Society has a long way to go, however, when it comes to age discrimination.