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Freedom Rider Joan Browning will be the guest speaker at Bethel United Methodist Church for its 11 a.m. Sunday Service this Sunday.

Browning participated in the sit-in movement, picketed segregated stores and facilities and was one of nine women on the Albany Freedom Ride on December 10, 1961.

Browning is in the area to speak at the Morristown Task Force on Diversity’s annual MLK Breakfast. She is also visiting with local school children.

Brown is one of 436 people who were Freedom Riders during the early ‘60s.

Her story was told in the book, “Deep in our Hearts: Nine White Women in the Freedom Movement” where she wrote an autobiographical chapter called, “Shiloh Witness.”

Browning grew up on a farm in rural Georgia where at 11 years old, she picked 100 pounds of cotton a day and by the time she was 16, she was picking 200 pounds.

She graduated from high school early and attended Georgia State College for Women, but was later ousted for attending an African-American church.

Browning then moved to Atlanta, where she started attending Georgia State College for Business Administration.

During this time, she became involved with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and started attending picket lines and sit-in demonstrations.

Browning has been honored National Women’s Law Center where she met President Barrack Obama. She has also appeared on Oprah Winfrey to speak about her experiences during the Civil Rights movement.

The church is located at 703 North Cumberland Street.