The Montgomery Bus Boycott

Summary

The December 1955 arrest of Rosa Parks for refusing to give up her bus seat to white passengers ignited the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Initially intended as a one-day protest, it grew into a year-long movement supported by 17,000 African Americans. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., then a young minister, emerged as the movement's leader, facing harassment and violence from opponents. Amid this resistance, a federal lawsuit challenged bus segregation. In November 1956, the Supreme Court ruled it unconstitutional, leading to the boycott's end in December, marking a historic victory for civil rights.

Takeaways

• 🚌 The arrest of Rosa Parks in December 1955 for refusing to give up her bus seat to white passengers sparked the Montgomery, Alabama bus boycott.
• 📅 The boycott, initially planned to last one day, received widespread support from approximately 17,000 African Americans and continued for over a year.
• 🗣️ A young minister from Montgomery, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., became the spokesman for the boycott, representing its growing movement.
• ⚖️ Opponents of the boycott used intimidation and legal harassment, including the indictment of 89 leaders, such as Dr. King and Reverend Ralph Abernathy, under a 1921 statute prohibiting boycotts without 'just cause.'
• 💰 Dr. King was the only leader prosecuted, receiving a fine of $1,000 and a suspended one-year sentence of hard labor.
• 💣 Violence escalated, with the homes of several boycott leaders, including Dr. King's, bombed in 1956.
• ✊ Pastor Robert Graetz, a white minister who supported the boycott, also faced threats, with dynamite thrown into his yard in August 1956.
• 📜 Organizers filed a federal lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of Montgomery's segregated buses, while the boycott persisted.
• 🏛️ On November 13, 1956, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that public bus segregation was unconstitutional, leading to a federal order to integrate Montgomery's buses.
• 🎉 The boycott officially ended on December 21, 1956, after the Supreme Court's ruling was enforced, and black citizens resumed riding Montgomery buses.

Q & A

What event sparked the Montgomery bus boycott in 1955?

The arrest of Rosa Parks in December 1955 for refusing to give up her seat to white passengers sparked the Montgomery bus boycott.

How long was the bus boycott originally supposed to last?

The boycott was originally supposed to last for one day.

How many African Americans supported the boycott, and how long did it last?

An estimated 17,000 African Americans supported the boycott, and it lasted for more than a year.

Who became the spokesman for the boycott, and what was his profession?

Dr. Martin Luther King, a young minister from Montgomery, became the spokesman for the boycott.

What tactics were used by opponents of the boycott to deter participants?

Opponents used legal harassment and violence, including bombings and intimidation, to deter participants.

What was Dr. Martin Luther King indicted for, and what was his punishment?

Dr. Martin Luther King was indicted for violating a 1921 state statute forbidding boycotts without 'Just Cause.' He was convicted, fined $1,000, and given a suspended one-year sentence of hard labor.

What happened to several leaders' homes during the boycott?

Several leaders' homes, including Dr. King's, were bombed as intimidation tactics during the boycott.

Who was Pastor Robert Graetz, and what was his involvement in the boycott?

Pastor Robert Graetz was a white minister serving a primarily black church in Montgomery and was an outspoken supporter of the boycott as a member of the Montgomery Improvement Association.

What legal action was taken by organizers to challenge segregation?

Organizers filed a federal lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of Montgomery’s segregated bus system.

What was the outcome of the lawsuit, and when did the boycott end?

On November 13, 1956, the Supreme Court ruled that public bus segregation was unconstitutional. The boycott ended on December 21, 1956, after Montgomery buses were ordered to integrate.