The Montgomery Bus Boycott

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The Montgomery Bus Boycott was successful largely due to the support of the African American community and its push for equal treatment. After the arrest of Rosa Parks, African American riders made demands with the city of Montgomery, Alabama that they wanted met before they would again ride the busses. They demanded courtesy be given to all riders, regardless of race, the hiring of black drivers by the city, and a first-come-first-served seating policy. The city denied the requests of the colored riders, so the African Americans living in Montgomery found different ways to commute. Taxis with colored drivers became a top choice, charging ten cents, the same as a bus fare. Others that owned cars began carpooling with those that did not have…show more content…
First, the boycott sparked a movement across the South. It has been regarded as “the first mass protest for Civil Rights” (citation). It also brought national and international attention to the struggle for civil rights. More than 100 reporters came to Montgomery during the protests and throughout the Civil Rights Movement to see the efforts and the leaders. With the help of attention from national media, the bus boycott set the stage for larger scale protests across the nation. Protests occurred outside of courtrooms While the Montgomery Bus Boycott sparked many positive effects, it was met with much resistance. While the bus system was integrated, the bus stops remained segregated. Along with animosity shown to colored riders, snipers also began firing into the busses. Not only were there attacks on civilians, but there was hostility directed at the black leaders of the community. In January of 1957 there was a series of bombings at the houses of four black leaders. Following investigation, the bombings were found to be the works of seven members of the Ku Klux Klan. The members were arrested and it largely stopped the bus related violence. One of the most famous bombings of January 1957 happened at the house of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. King lived through many assassination attempts, as stated by The King Center, “Although his house had been bombed several times during…show more content…
First, the bus boycott sparked a movement across the South. It is regarded as the first mass protest for Civil Rights. It also brought both national and international attention to the Civil Rights Movement. More than 100 reporters came to Montgomery during the movement to see the efforts and the leaders. The South was not the only location that was influenced, though. Protests began occurring outside of courtrooms across the country, battling for black rights. The media coverage throughout the movement brought attention to other areas of the country, making the Civil Rights Movement a nationwide problem instead of just a regional
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