Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott: A Turning Point in Civil Rights
On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks was arrested in Montgomery, Alabama, for refusing to vacate her seat on a city bus, a pivotal act that ignited a bus boycott lasting 381 days. Led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the movement was organized by the Montgomery Improvement Association, culminating in a Supreme Court ruling against bus segregation on December 20, 1956. Parks, a key figure in the civil rights movement and NAACP secretary, inspired the African American community, significantly impacting the boycott, which saw participation from 90% of Black riders. She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1996 and passed away on October 24, 2005.
Key facts
- Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on December 1, 1955.
- She was arrested and charged with violating Montgomery City Code.
- The Montgomery Bus Boycott lasted 381 days.
- The U.S. Supreme Court ruled bus segregation unconstitutional on November 13, 1956.
- The ruling was enforced on December 20, 1956.
- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. led the boycott as president of the MIA.
- Parks was a secretary for the NAACP and a member of the WPC.
- She received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1996 and the Congressional Gold Medal in 1999.
Entities
Artists
- Rosa Parks
- Martin Luther King Jr.
- Raymond Parks
- James F. Blake
- Claudette Colvin
- Mary Louise Smith
- Jo Ann Robinson
- W. A. Gayle
- Nicholas C. Chriss
- D. H. Lacke
- Gene Herrick
Institutions
- National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)
- Women's Political Council (WPC)
- Montgomery Improvement Association (MIA)
- Alabama State College
- United States Supreme Court
- Library of Congress
- Encyclopedia of Alabama
- National Archives and Records Administration
- Schlesinger Library
- Harvard University
- Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute for Self-Development
Locations
- Montgomery
- Alabama
- United States
- Cleveland Avenue
- Detroit
- Michigan
- Scottsboro
- Washington DC