Ambush: Braving Danger as a Freedom Rider and a Combat Medic in Vietnam

Henry James "Hank" Thomas was one of the original Freedom Riders who challenged segregation, narrowly escaping death by lynching and burning, and was a founding member of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). He then served as a combat medic in Vietnam, receiving the Purple Heart, and later became a successful businessman. In this interview, he talks about his childhood in the segregated South, his activism in the Civil Rights movement, his experiences in the Army and the business world, and his involvement in civic organizations.