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why did the montgomery bus boycott(1956) take place,how was it carried out…
why did the montgomery bus boycott(1956) take place,how was it carried out,and to what extenet was it successful
introduction
slavery had existed in the US at the time of its independence + was a common practice in sotuhern united states where african americans (A.A'S) were forced to work in cottton plantations
although it was ended in 1863 by president abraham lincon during the american civil war with the 13th amendment to the US consisition in 1865
however the jim crow system was in place segragating american society along colour lines - kept black people "seperate but equal"
A.As were denied a decent standered of education,forced to use inferior public serices,seprerate water founatins,park benches ,publi bathrooms etc + refused serivce in restraunts + hotels
A.As were intimidated + assualted,crimes againsts A.As were rarely punished + encouraged the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) maintained this system
in the montgomery bus boycott A.As challenged this acpected lifestyle by refusing to ride city buses in hope to end racial segregation
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montgomery
in 1955 the population of montgomery consisted of about 70,000 white people + 50,000 black people
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in august 1955 in neigbouring mississippi emmet ill (14) was brutally totured + mureder after he said "bye baby" to a white person
his battered body was visable in a open coffin + phots were published in the newspaper + magazines making national news
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first 10 seats were reserved for white people,back 10 were for blacks,but blacks had to give up their seat if the bus was full - they had to pay at the driver + revoard at the back,some drove away
in march 1955 claudette colvin was arrested after she refused to give up her seat,pregnant + unmarried at 15 she wasnt the right fit for the national movement "when it comes to justice,there is no easy wasy to get it"
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organising the boycott
over 35,000 flyers were distrubuted by the womans political council led by joAnn robinso encouraging people to not "ride buses to work,to town,to school or anywhere on monday"
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black citizens would not travel on the buses until the demands of their leaders for a full end to segregation on the buses were met
The MIA came up with a list of 3 demands - 1) to end segregation on buses 2) the empoyment of black bus drivers 3) all passengers to be treated with the same courtesy
proposals were rejected - MLK + other leaders decided that the boycott would remain in place until segregaton ended on buses
maintain oppostion
car pooling was organised to bring people to and from work so they werent pressurised to break the boycott + bus companies lost money
A.A taxi drivers also reduced their fares to match the bus fare (10 cents) during the boycott + were ordered by law to increase fares
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white citzens council was established to coordinate oppostion to the boycott - bus companies + city leaders decided on a "get tough" policy
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court decison
13th november 1956 the supreme court decided on ths case browder VS gayle (1956) - ruled segregation on public transport to be unconstitutional
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a day later MLK + other black communites leaders took their seat at the front of the firs desegregated bus in the citys history 381 days after the boycott began
the boycott being successful validated the NAACPs method of using courts + non violent protest to achieve sucess
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white backlash against this descion led to an esclation in violence - some buses were shot at + number of black passengers assulated
montgomery was the key turning point for the civil rights movement at the whole "montgomery was the beginging" - howard zinn
legacy and impact
the bus boycott was seen as a watershed movement in the civil rights + it proved the power of the blacks when organised
this new method of nonviolent protest brought national attention to the problems in ths outh + the struggle against segregation
in 1957 MLK founded the outhern christian leadership confrence (SCLC) which became prominent in fighting for civil rihts for black people
the boycott also paved the path for non violent reisitance such as the lunch counter portests + theh freedom riders
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MLK
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MLK became the accepted leader of black america + used his influence to ensurce that the Civil rights act 1964 + the voting rights act 1965 were passed into law
in august 1963 a huge rally of 250,000 civil rights protestors marched in washington to advance their cause - here MLK made his famous " i have a dream" speech
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He became critical of the vietnamwar - he belive it was taking money away from the reform programme to help the poor
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conclusion
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poverty was still a huge problem in black communites in the following decades "what use is a mouth full of civil rights and an empty belly " - jese jackson
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