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Birth of the Civil Rights Movement
- Civil Rights Groups start to form
- In Montgomery, groups like the Montgomery Improvement Association (MIA) and the local NAACP began working on issues like voting rights and ending segregation.
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Rosa Park Gets Arrested
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat to a white man and is arrested. This brave act sparks anger and support from the community. -
MIA is fully formed
Local leaders, including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and E.D. Nixon, meet to organize a boycott of the Montgomery buses. -
Boycott officially begins
The MIA kicks off the boycott, and people in Montgomery pledge not to ride the buses. Many use carpools or walk instead. -
Boycott Grows Gaining Attention
More people join the boycott, and local churches and organizations help spread the word. Flyers and announcements encourage everyone to participate. -
Legal Challenges
MIA leaders, including King, face legal issues as city officials try to stop the boycott. They organize to fight back in court. -
Court Victory!
A federal court rules that segregation on the buses is illegal, which boosts the boycott and attracts national attention. -
Boycott Finally Ends
After 381 days, the boycott ends successfully when the Supreme Court rules that buses in Montgomery must be desegregated. -
A New Organization Formed
After the boycott, King and others create the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) to organize more nonviolent protests across the South.