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Grassroots Beginnings- Formation of the Women’s Political Council (WPC)
Key Figure: Jo Ann Robinson (WPC leader) The WPC, a group of African American women in Montgomery, began organizing against racial segregation on city buses long before Rosa Parks’ arrest. They laid the groundwork for the boycott by meeting with city officials and documenting discrimination. -
Rosa Parks attends Highlander Folk School
Key Figures: Rosa Parks, Myles Horton (Highlander founder). Highlander trained activists in nonviolent resistance. Parks’ training influenced her decision to resist bus segregation and made her a prominent figure in the movement. -
Escalation to National Attention-Rosa Parks’ Arrest
Key Figures: Rosa Parks, Officer James Blake (bus driver). Parks refused to give up her seat to a white passenger, violating Montgomery’s segregation laws. Her arrest galvanized the local African American community to action and became a symbol of resistance. -
Formation of the Montgomery Improvement Association (MIA)
Key Figures: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (MIA president), E.D. Nixon, Ralph Abernathy. The MIA organized the boycott and coordinated community efforts, such as carpool systems and fundraising. Dr. King’s leadership elevated the movement to national prominence. -
Filing and Victory of Browder v. Gayle
Key Figures: Aurelia Browder, Claudette Colvin, Susie McDonald (plaintiffs), Fred Gray (attorney). The lawsuit challenged Alabama's bus segregation laws, leading to a federal court ruling that declared them unconstitutional. The Supreme Court upheld the decision, effectively ending bus segregation and marking a critical legal victory for the Civil Rights Movement. This case demonstrated the power of combining grassroots activism with legal action to dismantle systemic racism nationwide. -
The Defining Moment- The Success of the Boycott
Key Figures: U.S. Supreme Court (Browder v. Gayle decision). After 381 days, the boycott ended with a Supreme Court ruling that declared segregation on public buses unconstitutional. This marked a significant victory for the Civil Rights Movement and demonstrated the power of grassroots organizing.