The Montgomery bus boycott was a significant political and social protest campaign against racial segregation on the public transit system of Montgomery, Alabama. It began on December 5, 1955, after Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give her seat to a white passenger, and lasted until December 20, 1956. The boycott aimed to end segregation on Montgomery buses and was led by civil rights activists, including Martin Luther King Jr. The sustained boycott resulted in a U.S. Supreme Court decision declaring Alabama and Montgomery's bus segregation laws unconstitutional, ending legalized segregation on public buses.
Background
Before the boycott, Montgomery's buses were racially segregated by Jim Crow laws, with African Americans required to sit at the back and give up their seats to white passengers. African Americans constituted 75% of bus riders but faced poor treatment by drivers and were not employed as drivers themselves.
Organizing the Boycott
The boycott was organized by the Montgomery Improvement Association (MIA), led by Martin Luther King Jr., and supported by local groups such as the Women's Political Council. African Americans avoided the buses by walking, carpooling, and using donated vehicles, greatly impacting the bus company's revenues.
Impact and Legacy
The boycott lasted over a year, with high participation and resilience despite harassment from local authorities. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that bus segregation laws were unconstitutional, leading to desegregation of buses in Montgomery and symbolizing a major victory for the civil rights movement. The boycott also propelled Martin Luther King Jr. into national prominence as a civil rights leader. This event demonstrated the economic power of collective action and the effectiveness of nonviolent protest in challenging racial segregation.