Lesson 14: 1955 Montgomery Bus boycott Flashcards
What started the bus boycott?
In December 1955 Rosa Parks refused to stand up for a white man on the bus.
She was arrested and charged with violation of the Montgomery bus segregation ordiance forbidding blacks to sit next to whites
How did black community respond to Rosa Parks’ arrest?
The NAACP, black students and teachers organsied a day-long bus boycott on the day of Rosa Parks’ trial
Who led the boycott?
Martin Luther King, church minister
Led the MIA, a civil rights group in Monthomery
What did the boycott demand?
‘First come first serve’ process
Courteous drivers
Employment of black drivers
What happened when the city commissioners rejected the changes?
The day-long boycott tuned into a year-long boycott
What was the outcome of Rosa Parks’ trial?
She was fines $10 for the offense snd $4 legal costs
How was the boycott a success?
- bus companies faced bankruptcy
- press spread the cause
- businesses lost $1 million so even whites encouraged desegregation
- December 1956= Supreme Court ended segregation on public transport
How many blacks were involved in the boycott?
50-60% of blacks in Montgomery involved
(50,000)
How many bus boycotts were inspired in Southern states?
20
What was the emergence of the ‘New Negro’ ?
The new generation of black people that will stand stronger and more determined
What did King set up in 1957?
SCLC
A new civil rights group that supported blacks in more areas across the South, not just Montgomery
How many days did the boycott last?
383 days
Why wasnt the boycott a success?
-Montgomery’s White Citizens Council organised opposition: membership rose from 6,000 to 12,000
- attempts to introduce anti boycott laws
How was King targated following the boycott?
In January 1956- targated by police
Arrested for going 30 mph on 25 mph road
His house was bombed
How did the KKK respond to the boycott and court ruling?
Sent 40 carloads of hooded members to black communities in Montgomery
