The Montgomery Bus Boycott was African Essay

Submitted By BillyBobbyPhilly
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The Montgomery Bus Boycott was African-American's in Montgomery, Alabama protesting segregation on buses in the south. Segregation on buses in the south was first challenged by the Women's Political Council or WPC (a group of Afro- American women) in a council meeting with the Mayor at the time, W. A. Gayle. When Gayle refused the requested alterations, Jo Ann Robinson sent a letter to him informing him of the group’s plan to begin boycotting buses. The first African- American women to challenge segregation on buses was Claudette Colvin, she was only 15 at the time. Not too long after, 18 yr. old Mary L. Smith was arrested for refusing to give up her seat. Rosa Park's story comes into play later in 1955. Rosa's story is significant because she was a leader in society and brought the spotlight to an issue that was important at the time. Rose Parks is known as the "first lady of civil rights" and "mother of the freedom movement". On December 1, 1955 Rosa was approached by a James F. Blake, the bus driver of bus 2857, and told to move further back on the bus so a white passenger could take her seat. Using civil disobedience Rosa simply refused to move. This is small snip-it form Rosa's auto-biography: ".... Blake said, "Y'all better make it light on yourselves and let me have those seats." Three of them complied. Parks said, "The driver wanted us to stand up, the four of us. We didn't move at the beginning, but he says, 'Let me have these seats.' And the other three people moved, but I didn't." The black man sitting next to her gave up his seat. Parks moved, but toward the window seat; she did not get up to move to the designated colored section. Blake said, "Why don't you stand up?" Parks responded, "I don't think I should have to stand up." Blake called the police to arrest Parks. When recalling the incident for Eyes on the Prize, a 1987 public television series on the Civil Rights Movement, Parks said, "When he saw me still sitting, he asked if I was going to stand up, and I said, 'No, I'm not.' And he said, 'Well, if you don't stand up, I'm going to have to call the police and have you arrested.' I said, 'You may do that.'..." . Rosa was arrested for taking her stand but by her small refusal she started a huge movement for justice in the black community. 40,000 Afro- American bus riders boycotted the city buses of Montgomery on December 5, 1955. The boycott lasted from December 5, 1955- December 20, 1956, cost the town of Montgomery, AL over $100,000.00 because