ID: Montgomery Bus Boycott
When: December 5, 1955 - December 20, 1956 (381 days)
Who:
- Initiated by: Rosa Parks (NAACP activist), E.D. Nixon (NAACP leader), and local African American community leaders.
- Key Figures: Martin Luther King Jr. (pastor, leader of the Montgomery Improvement Association), Jo Ann Robinson (leader of the Women’s Political Council), NAACP.
- Against: Montgomery City Lines (bus company), segregationist policies of Montgomery, Alabama.
What:
A political and social protest campaign against the policy of racial segregation on the public transit system of Montgomery, Alabama. It began after Rosa Parks, an African American woman, was arrested for refusing to give up her seat to a white passenger on a bus. African Americans boycotted the city buses by walking, carpooling, and finding alternative transportation.
Impact: Why Significant?:
- Supreme Court Ruling: The boycott led to the Supreme Court case Browder v. Gayle (1956), which declared Alabama’s state and local laws requiring segregation on buses unconstitutional, achieving a legal victory.
- Rise of MLK: It catapulted Martin Luther King Jr. into a position of national leadership in the Civil Rights Movement, showcasing his powerful oratory and nonviolent resistance strategies.
- Model for Future Protests: It demonstrated the effectiveness of nonviolent direct action and served as a blueprint for future Civil Rights protests, such as sit-ins and freedom rides.
- Economic Impact: The bus company suffered significant financial losses, highlighting the economic power of organized boycotts.
- Inspired National Movement: It galvanized the African American community and strengthened the resolve to fight for equal rights, contributing significantly to the broader Civil Rights Movement.