Montgomery bus boycott '55-56

Montgomery bus boycott '55-56

1. Groups/individuals involved

   • NAACP
   • Grassroots
   • Rosa Parks
   • MLK

2. Aims

   • more polite service from drivers
   • Employment of blacks
   • end of standing if bus is not full
     • after a few weeks demanded complete desegregation
   • Replicate Boston Rouge
     • Unsuccessful Tried to make this one a success
   • Push Brown ruling further
   • NON VIOLENT
   • First come first serve
     • equal
   • Show black economic power
   • Create Black unity
   • Gain publicity
   • Spread activism
   • Get reaction from Eisenhower
     • Silent since Brown 1&2

3. Events

   • Rosa refused to give up seat for a white man
   • Thrown off bus and prosecuted ($10)
   • Boycott designed to coincide with trial of Rosa
   • Was to last 1 day - ended up lasting 381 days
   • Montgomey = deep south and less willing to make any consecions
   • In June '56 FED DISTRICT PANEL degreed bus seg unconstitutional
     • Boycott continues until SC confirmation 13 November '56
   • Walk of freedom
     • Walked everywhere
       • Unity
   • was originally Claudett Colvin
     • Rosa Parks chosen because: -Vulnerable -Worked for the NAACP -Back activist family
     • teen
     • pregnant
     • charged with assault
   • change happened because it effected white businesses
   • Local NAACP gave support
     • national didn't
       • -breaking rules -they focused on legal action -rather support courts than boycotts

4. Causes

   • 1st 10 rows reserved for whites
   • 75% of revenue from blacks
   • Rising tensions on busses
   • "All deliberate speed"
     • Not effective
   • Emmett Tills murder
     • enough is enough
   • Busses effected daily life of blacks
   • No Eisenhower reaction
   • Black man put two kids on white seat to pay
     • Drove off to make kids fall off seats
     • "dirty black on seat"
     • 2 weeks before
   • Morgan vs Virginia
     • Under Truman
     • Boarded bus and refused to go to the back
     • Segregated interstate transport was declared unconstitutional
     • president not upholding constitution

5. Significance

   • Montgomery White citizen council doubled
     • Membership from 6,000 to 12,000
   • lasted 381 days
     • willing to do a lot for rights
   • 2nd SC win
     • After Brown 1 & 2
   • Companies lost $1 million
     • whites supported CR to get money back
     • blacks lived on outskirts of town so needed bus to get into the towns so businesses badly effected
   • Showed importance of church and non violence
   • Increase in black confidence
   • 1st unified CR
     • proven successful
   • Inspired 20 other boycotts in different states
   • Tensions rose
   • KKK activity increased
     • blacks not scared
       • Drove through black streets to intimidate
         • waved them through
   • achieved using non-violence
   • National media coverage
   • North gave support
   • King
     • establishes himself through SCLC
   • well organised
   • mass scale
   • Montgomery state control taken away
   • SC still all white
     • attitudes changing
   • local government (city officials)
     • ordered harassment of blacks
     • Minds not changed
   • other things still segregated
     • water fountains/food courts
   • A Phillip Randolph gave financial support
     • Other groups were supporting

6. Quotes