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Victory
The U.S. Supreme Court upholds the district court's decision in Browder v. Gayle, declaring bus segregation laws unconstitutional. -
Local Activism and Preceding Events
Rosa Parks joins the Montgomery chapter of the NAACP and becomes actively involved in civil rights work, helping investigate cases of racial injustice. -
Local Activism and Preceding Events
The U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Brown v. Board of Education declares state laws establishing separate public schools for black and white students unconstitutional, energizing the civil rights movement. -
Local Activism and Preceding Events
Claudette Colvin, a 15-year-old African American girl, is arrested in Montgomery for refusing to give up her seat on a segregated bus. Local activists, including Rosa Parks, consider using her case to challenge bus segregation but decide against it due to her age and circumstances. -
The Spark
Rosa Parks is arrested for refusing to give up her seat to a white passenger on a Montgomery bus. Her arrest galvanizes local activists. -
The Spark
E.D. Nixon, president of the local NAACP chapter, and Jo Ann Robinson of the Women's Political Council (WPC) begin organizing a boycott of the Montgomery bus system. Robinson prints and distributes thousands of flyers calling for a one-day bus boycott on December 5. -
The Boycott Begins
The one-day bus boycott is successful, leading to the formation of the Montgomery Improvement Association (MIA) to coordinate the ongoing boycott. Martin Luther King Jr., a young pastor at the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church, is elected as president of the MIA. -
The Boycott Begins
MIA leaders, including King, meet with city officials and bus company representatives to discuss demands for more courteous treatment, first-come, first-served seating, and the hiring of black bus drivers. The city and bus company refuse these demands. -
Sustaining the Boycott
Boycott leaders are harassed and threatened, with King’s home bombed on January 30. Despite the violence, the boycott continues with widespread community support. -
Sustaining the Boycott
More than 80 boycott leaders are indicted under an old anti-boycott law, bringing national attention to the movement. King is among those arrested, further increasing his prominence as a civil rights leader. -
Sustaining the Boycott
The federal district court rules in Browder v. Gayle that bus segregation is unconstitutional, citing the Brown v. Board of Education decision. -
Victory
The Montgomery Bus Boycott officially ends after 381 days, as the Supreme Court’s ruling takes effect and buses in Montgomery are desegregated.