The Montgomery Bus Boycott, 1955

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The Montgomery Bus Boycott, 1955
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What was the Montgomery bus boycott?

• The Montgomery Bus Boycott was a political and
  social protest campaign started in 1955 in
  Montgomery, Alabama
• Aim to oppose the racial segregation on the buses

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Segregation on the buses

• Although 75 of the riders on the bus were negro
  they were expected to sit at the back and when
  the bus was full they were also expected to stand
  to let the white person sit

The bus on which Rosa Parks rode
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Segregation on the buses

• They were often insulted by bus operators
  referring to Blacks as black apes
• Blacks had to pay at the front of the bus and
  then get back off to enter at the back- often the
  bus rode away without them

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Why did the protest begin?

• Rosa Parks was a seamstress and secretary for the
  NACCP
• After work she got on a bus and sat at the black
  section at the back (1st December)
• As the bus filled up she was asked to stand to
  allow white passengers to sit down
• She refused and was arrested

I cant take it no longer Rosa Parks

• http//www.historychannel.com/broadband/clipview/i
  ndex.jsp?idtdih_1201

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The protest begins

• Her trial was set for Monday 5th of December
• 50 Black leaders met in Montgomery Church to
  discuss their plans
• They decided to boycott the city bus system to
  make it clear to whites that they would not
  accept this type of treatment any longer

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The protest begins

• The committee prepared a statement asking people
• Not to ride the buses but to take a cab, share a
  ride or walk
• their concern was not to put the bus company out
  of business but to put justice in business

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we can no longer lend our cooperation to an evil
system

• On the first morning the buses usually filled
  with black passengers were empty
• Parks lost her case and was convicted of
  violating the segregated seating laws
• black leaders met again to organize an extension
  of the bus boycott.

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Martin Luther King

• the Montgomery Improvement Association (MIA)was
  formed and elected King as its president.
• "There comes a time when people get tired of
  being trampled over by the iron feet of
  oppression. King

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Effects of the Boycott

• After 381 days of taking taxis, carpooling, and
  walking the hostile streets of Montgomery
• African Americans eventually won their fight to
  desegregate seating on public buses, not only in
  Montgomery, but throughout the United States
  (1956)

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Effects of the Boycott

• The bus companies could no longer afford to lose
  Black passengers
• This showed the economic power of Blacks
• Montgomery was however still a segregated town

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Effects of the Boycott

• The bus boycott had shown Blacks what they could
  achieve through organised peaceful protests
• MLK and Rev. Abernathy became the leaders of the
  new civil rights movement
• Southern Christian Leadership conference (SCLC)
  was set up in 1957

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Activity

• Go to http//www.archives.state.al.us/teacher/righ
  ts/rights1.html and answer the following
  questions
• Describe the Montgomery bus boycott (4)
• Why was the Montgomery Bus boycott of 1955 so
  important? (5)