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Rosa Parks
If a Black person was sitting in the front section of the bus, they were expected to give up their seat to a white passenger and move to the back. Rosa Parks was a Black woman riding the bus in Montgomery, and she refused to give up her seat to a white passenger, resulting in her arrest and the start of the bus boycott. -
MLK
MLK was elected to lead the movement. At the time, he was a 26-year-old pastor in Montgomery. The Montgomery Improvement Association was also created that day. -
Women's Political Council
The WPC was alerted of Park's arrest and they began to coordinate the movement for the bus boycott. On Park's court date, they began handing out flyers with information about the boycott. -
MIA
The boycott was not meant to be a drawn-out process-- it was originally intended to last for one day. But, when the MIA gave its list of demands, they were unmet, and the boycott continued. -
Carpool System
Most of the riders of the bus were Black, and many had no choice but to walk when the bus boycott went into effect. To make it easier for them, and to sustain the boycott for as long as needed, a carpool system was implemented. -
Violence and the Law
Following the indictment of several other boycotters, MLK was ordered to either pay a fine or serve time in jail. -
Unconstitutional
The court declared segregation on the bus systems unconstitutional. -
Supreme Court
After upholding the district court ruling, the Supreme Court ordered the Montgomery bus system to desegregate. -
End of Boycott
Over one year after it began (381 days), the Montgomery Bus Boycott officially ended.