The Montgomery Bus Boycott

The Montgomery Bus Boycott

On December 1, 1955 in Montgomery, Alabama one of America’s most famous protests went down in history. An African-American women by the name of Rosa Parks led a one person protest that led to a large social protest and a Supreme Court case. The small protest led to a change in American life. The Rosa Park’s protest in Montgomery Alabama was on of the most important event of the Civil Rights Movement because it was one of the first victories for African-Americans in the movement, it changed the everyday lives of both African-American and White-American people, it helped Martin Luther King Jr. become one of the movements biggest leaders, and it helped African-Americans get one step closer to being treated like White-Americans.

Rosa Parks was born on February 4, 1913. She lived with her mother and grandparents on a small farm in a town outside of Montgomery, Alabama. Parks went to an all-girls school and went on to go college but dropped out to take care of her ill mother and grandmother. In 1932 Rosa married Raymond Parks. Raymond Parks was a member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People or the NAACP. She became involved in the civil rights movement because of him.

On December 1, 1955 Rosa Parks was coming home from her job as a seamstress. She boarded a crowded bus and sat in the row just behind the white section. Rosa Parks sat in the row with three African men, when a white man entered the bus. The bus was over crowded and the white man had to stand. The bus driver noticed and threatened Rosa Parks and the three men to get up. The three men got up without question, but Rosa did not. Rosa would not move, she was quoted about the situation and said “It meant that I didn’t have a right to do anything but get on the bus, give them my fare and then be pushed around wherever they wanted me.” (Friese 53)

Rosa Parks was not going to be pushed around again. She refused to move for the white man. The bus driver finally stopped arguing and told Parks he is going to call the police and have her arrested. “In a firm but quiet voice, she told him that he could do what he wanted to do because she wasn’t moving.” (Friese 53).

Parks was arrested shortly after. She was taking off the bus and taken to the police station, and put in a cell. While arrested Rosa Parks is quoted to asking the officer “Why do you people push us around?”, the officer answered in confusion. “I don’t know. I’m just obeying the law.”(Friese 54)

The small protest turned into a big deal. A boycott of the buses started and lasted over a year. African-Americans refused to use buses and found other ways to