Montgomery Bus Boycott, 1955-56

What was the Montgomery Bus Boycott?

As part of the civil rights protests, African Americans refused to ride on the city buses in Montgomery, Alabama, to show their opposition to segregated seating. Lasting over a year, it became known as the Montgomery Bus Boycott and is regarded as the first large-scale anti-segregation demonstration in the USA.

When was the Montgomery Bus Boycott?

The Montgomery Bus Boycott lasted from 5th December, 1955, to 20th December, 1956.

What caused the Montgomery Bus Boycott?

There were 4 main reasons for the Montgomery Bus Boycott:

• ❖ Buses were segregated in the southern states of America. This was a violation of the constitution's 14th Amendment.
• ❖ On 1st December, 1955, Rosa Parks was instructed by a white bus driver to move out of her seat in the black section of the bus to allow a white man to sit, as the white seating area was full. She refused and was arrested.
• ❖ Although she wasn't the first to refuse to give up her seat, Rosa was a member of the NAACP and a well-respected citizen. For this reason, she was chosen as the boycott's figurehead.
• ❖ A boycott was called by the Women's Political Council, WPC.

What happened during the Montgomery Bus Boycott?

There were 8 key events during the Montgomery Bus Boycott:

• ❖ The Montgomery Improvement Association (MIA) was created on 1st December in response to Rosa Parks' arrest. The MIA's chairman was Martin Luther King.
• ❖ The boycott started on 5th December, 1955 - the day of Rosa Parks' trial.
• ❖ The bus operator held talks with the leaders of the MIA to discuss what they wanted, but the bus operator refused to desegregate the buses.
• ❖ The MIA organised car-shares and taxi rides for the African Americans so they could get to work during the boycott.
• ❖ The NAACP brought a court case, Browder versus Gayle, against the bus company on 1st February, 1956.
• ❖ Martin Luther King and others were arrested and fined because of the boycott.
• ❖ The outcome of the Browder versus Gayle case was that buses should be desegregated. The case was taken to the Supreme Court by the bus operator and White Citizens' Councils.
• ❖ The boycott ended on 19th December, 1956, after 381 days. This was following the Supreme Court decision that segregation was unconstitutional and buses should be desegregated.

What was the impact of the Montgomery Bus Boycott?

The majority of African Americans who used the city buses stopped doing so in protest against the segregation rules - around 90% took part in the boycott.

Why did the Montgomery Bus Boycott end?

The NAACP went to the Supreme Court, claiming bus segregation rules broke the 14th Amendment of the US Constitution. The case was known as Browder v Gayle. The court agreed, and the boycott was ended.

What was the result of the Montgomery Bus Boycott?

There were 2 main results:

• ❖ There were two appeals against the decision, but the Supreme Court upheld the ruling that the Montgomery buses should be desegregated.
• ❖ On 20th December, African Americans started using the Montgomery buses again.

How did the the Montgomery Bus Boycott start?

When the bus driver told Rosa Parks, a civil rights activist, and others to give up their seats for a white man, she refused. As a result, she was arrested.

What was the role of the WPC (Women's Political Council) in the Montgomery Bus Boycott?

The Women's Political Council, or WPC, had campaigned against segregation on buses for years. It had warned the mayor a boycott would take place if one more black person was arrested for breaking bus segregation rules. The bus boycott on 5th December was suggested by the WPC.

What was the role of the churches in the Montgomery Bus Boycott?

During the Montgomery Bus Boycott, the churches in Montgomery played an important role in 3 main ways:

• ❖ Churches and church halls were a place for people to gather to organise the boycott.
• ❖ Churches raised money to provide support for those involved in the boycott, such as cars for those who were car-sharing.
• ❖ Churches raised awareness of the boycott.

What was the role of the MIA during the Montgomery Bus Boycott?

The Montgomery Improvement Association, or MIA, was an organisation formed to support the boycott. As part of this, a car pool system was introduced to provide lifts and transport to those refusing to use the buses.

Who was the leader of the MIA during the Montgomery Bus Boycott?

A respected, educated and peace-loving clergyman, Martin Luther King, became the leader of MIA.

Who opposed the MIA during the Montgomery Bus Boycott?

The White Citizens' Councils and the Ku Klux Klan strongly opposed the MIA and its activities.

What were the actions of the opposition towards the MIA during the Montgomery Bus Boycott?

There were 4 main ways in which people opposed the actions of the MIA:

• ❖ A number of churches and Martin Luther King's own house were bombed.
• ❖ Some people involved in the boycott lost their jobs.
• ❖ Boycotters were arrested.
• ❖ African Americans were threatened and harrassed.

What was the significance of the Montgomery Bus Boycott?

The Montgomery Bus Boycott was significant for 4 main reasons:

• ❖ The boycott raised Martin Luther King's profile and he became famous nationwide, not just in Alabama.
• ❖ The actions of those in Montgomery inspired similar boycotts in other cities. In Tallahassee, Florida, for example, a boycott was held from 28th May to 22nd December, 1956.
• ❖ The violent reaction to the boycott and to desegregation by white people showed them in a negative way. This was later used by activists during subsequent protests.
• ❖ It demonstrated the importance of media attention in direct, non-violent forms of protest to gain support for the civil rights movement.

What were the negative consequences of the Montgomery Bus Boycott?

There were 2 main negative consequences of the Montgomery Bus Boycott:

• ❖ Although the boycott was successful in ending segregation on the buses, this was not extended to other facilities in Montgomery.
• ❖ There was an increase in violence by and membership of the KKK. The buses even had to be stopped until the violence lessened.