Preview

Montgomery Bus Boycott: Struggle For Civil Rights

Powerful Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1519 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Montgomery Bus Boycott: Struggle For Civil Rights
Assess the significance of the Montgomery bus boycott in the struggle for civil rights in the USA. Evaluate. (50marks) In my essay I will assess the Montgomery bus boycott, 1955 and its significance in the struggle for civil rights in the USA and why history has been represented and interpreted in different ways. In addition, I will examine the usefulness of sources and evaluate the struggles to get civil rights. I will evaluate to reach an overall conclusion on the significance of the Montgomery bus boycott. I will be assessing what historian’s views and why they differ and examine to assess how far the Montgomery bus boycott was significant in the struggle for civil rights …show more content…
For instance, from a report by a civil rights worker for NAACP, early 1930s is about men explaining how life was like before Montgomery. In the source one man said “I don’t want my throat cut” this really shows how bad racism was. Also a man explained: “I don’t want my job cut off” this is significant as this shows that AA men cannot get jobs and are fearful of losing their job if they criticise white people. This source is useful as this gives a representation on how hard life was for AA before the Montgomery bus boycott. I think the purpose of this source is to show AA in America that many AA are suffering the racism. This is similar to Truman who sent a letter to his girlfriend Bess in 1904, where Truman wrote: “Negroes ought to be in Africa” this shows that Truman believes that AA are unwanted. This links to the report by the civil rights worker as it shows how AA are unwanted. These two sources can be interpreted that AA are unwanted and live in a society where AA are fearful, hence actions like Rosa Park’s that sparked the boycott showed great courage …show more content…
The boycott was also significant as according to Mark Stacey 2012 he said that ‘the boycott also brought Martin Luther King to the fore’ and Dr J Street, 2012 who said that King became the lightning rod for the civil rights movement’ following his being put in the ‘spotlight’ at |Montgomery. This was significant as it shows how the bus boycott helped raise Martin Luther King to prominence as a civil rights leader and was seen as a national figurehead of the civil rights movement. Another aspect that makes the boycott significant was the unity of the AA to make the boycott last 381 days and how the community worked together during the boycott this is shown in “Tote dat barge! Lif dat boycott! Ride dat bus!” in 2002 Jannel Mcgrew interviewed Gwen Patton who was 12 during the boycott explains that things were done to finance the boycott the things that were done were: “bake sales, little competitions like that between neighbourhood women” this shows how AA got together and carried out activity’s such as bake sales to finance the boycott which shows great unity and oneness. This showed that AA protest achieved a form of justice ruling. This shows how MBB is significant as life for AA

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Satisfactory Essays

    The reason why the montgomery bus boycott affected the 1950’s is that this boycott stopped segregation on buses. This affected the decade because after the bus boycott ended after 13 long months the white people actually started treating the black people like actual people and not just throwing them around. Also when this boycott ended the black people were allowed to sit on the bus wherever they want and they don't have to give up their seat to a white person if they don't want to. When rosa parks was arrested she had one phone call to make and she made it to Martin Luther King Jr. which he made a big speak about how he had a dream that one day the white people and black people would all be together with no issues, and it became famous and…

    • 142 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Best Essays

    Apush Final

    • 1906 Words
    • 6 Pages

    The plan of this investigation is to determine the extent to which Martin Luther King’s actions and decisions caused the success of the Montgomery Bus Boycott.…

    • 1906 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Best Essays
  • Good Essays

    The book’s bibliography runs nearly 80 pages long. Branch’s breakdown of his sources, both primary and secondary, is essential in crafting a narrative history that is assessable to layperson as well as analytical and thought provoking enough for the historian and student of history. Branch is eloquent and natural in his storytelling approach to this pivotal period of the American past. His narrative transports the reader to a front row seat to events like the Birmingham Bus Boycott in 1955 and the Freedom Rides of 1961.…

    • 554 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In the article "The Montgomery Bus Boycott and the Fall of the Montgomery City Lines," written by Felicia McGhee, McGhee writes the life of the racial segregation of the bus system and the effect of the boycott. On December 1, 1955, forty-two years old Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat to a white man after a long day of work. When the bus driver asked her and three other blacks to move to the back, Parks refused giving an explanation to why she said, "My feet were not tired but I was tired-tired of unfair treatment." (McGhee 254). Her actions violated the bus segregation laws and she was subsequently arrested for disorderly conduct. In the year before Rosa Park's arrest, two teenagers, Claudette Colvin and Mary Louise Smith were also arrested for similar actions (McGhee 253). Blacks were outraged by the arrest of yet another black women on a city bus. Provoked by Park's arrest, the Montgomery's black residents initiated a 381-day boycott of the bus system. The boycott was disastrous for the Montgomery City Lines, costing the company $750,000. The residents were "boycotting a system of oppression, segregation, prescribed by the State of Alabama and the Montgomery City Council" (McGhee 252). The boycott ended on December 20, 1956 only ended after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the city’s segregated bus system was unconstitutional (McGhee 252). This ties to Camus standards of the moment of rebellion is when the rebel "finds his voice" and feels that enough is enough, the rebel will stand up for himself/herself (14). The Montgomery black residents were tired of the unfair treatment of the bus segregation laws that they decided to stand up for themselves, they organized a boycott and in the end, they were able to succeed and end the bus segregation laws. But the Montgomery Bus Boycott also meets Clark et al…

    • 1626 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Montgomery Bus Boycott of 1955 primary aim was force the bus companies to desegregate their busses. They did this by displaying the economic power of the black population. They did this by walking or carpooling to their destination instead of paying for the bus. The boycott lasted a whole year, which was a massive achievement in itself due to the high level of logistical planning needed to avoid using the bus services daily, and by the end it could be said that they accomplished their goal as nearly all black people managed to live without the bus meaning that the bus companies lost 65% of their income. Due to this the boycott drew much media attention witch was important as it broadcast their cause to a wide audience. However no laws were…

    • 769 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The protest united a vast group of African Americans who were passionate in combating racial discrimination and inequality. In fact, the demonstration was one of the first large scale ones, and as mentioned in a letter by Virginia Durr, it was “the first time that a whole [black] community [had] ever stuck together this way and for so long” (Document D). In addition, the larger assistance aided in lessening the consequences of not taking the buses. 42,000 African Americans did not use the public transport for two months but found alternatives and help from the drivers willing to carpool (Document C). What was vital in making the Montgomery Bus Boycott successful was it being a peaceful demonstration. From the start, the boycott urged participating African Americans to not resort to any act of violence. As said by Martin Luther King, Jr., “democracy [gave them the] right to [peacefully] protest” and even though they would inevitably face trials, they must endure and remain determined (Document…

    • 326 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Best Essays

    In the beginning these three African American men contributions gave African American people better economic opportunities. First, Thurgood Marshall legal successes removed legal barriers for African American people to qualify them for jobs. When King arrived on the scene, and organized the push protests such as the 1955 Montgomery Bus Boycott that lasted for 385 days. The situation was so intense that King’s house was…

    • 2653 Words
    • 11 Pages
    Best Essays
  • Good Essays

    *On this date in 1953, the Baton Rouge Bus boycott occurred. This was the first Black bus boycott in America.…

    • 386 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Rosa Parks Research Paper

    • 965 Words
    • 4 Pages

    The black people of Montgomery decided that the best way to show their anger at what had happened and how they were being treated would be by boycott, not use, the local bus…

    • 965 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In America, during the early 1950s, times were dramatically changing for the better due to the brave actions taken by Rosa Parks and the many African Americans who took part in the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Parks is known as an activist during the African-American Civil Rights Movement who promoted the idea of racial equality and an end to segregation. Martin Luther King Jr. led his first nonviolent protest known as the Montgomery Bus Boycott where he advocated equal rights for all races. Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr. are both remembered not for doing what is prohibited, but for failing to do what was required of them in a segregated society such as refusing to give up a seat on a public bus and abstaining from taking action when it was felt necessary.…

    • 675 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The civil rights movement was a political and social movement that attempted to gain equality for african americans in America. Although slavery ended Dec. 6, 1865, equality was still a far reach for America. Segregation was imposed almost everywhere, african americans were separated from caucasians out of fear and ignorance. It wasn't until this moment that equality was finally within grasp, and the african americans demanded and were given their civil rights. Some of the biggest events that took place during the movement were the Montgomery bus boycott and the march on Washington. The Montgomery bus boycott took place when Rosa Parks a black women refused to give up her spot at the front of white part of the bus. She was jailed for her actions and the black community was appealed and boycotted the buses, this lasted over a year. Many say this was the beginning of the movement. The march on Washington was a protest…

    • 528 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Approximately 100 years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation by President Abraham Lincoln many African Americans were still being treated unequally through segregation, and various forms of oppression, including race-inspired crimes. Segregation was a very common practice that was legal due to the separate but equal doctrine. This doctrine allowed local governments to segregate colored people from the whites. This segregation was seen in many aspects of an urban city such as drinking fountains, restrooms, restaurants, schools, and city busses. In December of 1955, the process of equality for colored people would begin with Rosa Parks not giving up her seat for a white man. This event would go on to ignite the Montgomery bus boycott.…

    • 1790 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Martin Luther King Jr. was apart of many, things, but one was the Montgomery Bus Boycott…

    • 1048 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Rosa parks was on the bus on her way home from a day at work as a…

    • 260 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Outliers Essay

    • 908 Words
    • 4 Pages

    In the making of Martin Luther King Jr.’s success, one event that took place is the Montgomery Bus Boycott around 1955. This was a 13-month protest in response to Rosa Parks’ arrest, which led to the U.S. Supreme Court governing that segregation on public buses is unlawful. Rosa Parks was arrested due to the refusal of giving up her seat on the bus to a white man. The extent of the boycott demonstrates the work and effort that Martin Luther King Jr. put in to proving the determination he had in pursuing his dream. In the process, he knew he was risking his life and was willing to make the sacrifice for the many other mistreated colored people. These events relate back to the novel and meet the aspects of being an outlier by not only reaching the line of dedication and determination, but also going beyond this line. Due to the fact that he risked his life to make a change, Martin Luther King Jr. is considered to be an Outlier.…

    • 908 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays