Essay on Importance of Montgomery Bus Boycott

The Bus Boycott in Montgomery started as a protest with a quest for the black people rights during a time in which people of African American descent declined to travel in the buses that operated in Montgomery. Before the actualization of the boycott, Rosa Parks gets in detention for not accepting to give her bus seat to the white man and fined. The purpose of this paper is to provide substantial details on the critical aspects that arise from the bus boycott in Montgomery.

The three most important aspects include Mobilization of African Americans in Montgomery, Integration at last and the King gets the Spotlight after the boycott. To begin with Montgomerys African-American mobilization, this happened in the aftermath of the boycott (JohnsonColeman, 2016). It was not the first time for the African American to resist the segregation and this is captured by Browder and Gayle. The resistance was bound to come and the legal vehicle to assist in realizing their goal was the law. As the news of what had transpired spread during the boycott, the African American leaders put their voice together to condemn the heinous acts against the blacks.

The black ministers declared that they would lead the people to boycott and the announcement made in church on a Sunday. About 40,000 African-American bus riders boycotted and after those African-American leaders gathered to start the Montgomery Improvement Association (MIA). Initial demands of the segregation were not to make amendments to the segregating laws but rather to promote courtesy among the black people. The mobilization was very crucial because the people were able to organize carpools that would charge them 10 cents which were the same price as that charged as bus fare.

The second important aspect is the integration at last. In 5th June 1956, the federal court in Montgomery ruled in favor of the blacks by declaring that any law that required racial segregation was a violation of the 14th amendment to the United States Constitution. The city went ahead to appeal, but the supreme court upheld the federal court decision. It is a significant aspect because it brings forth the need for the quest for justice. There was a hostile reception, but the law took its course, and the buses were forced to be integrated. There were attacks, for instance, the white supremacist all who were part of Ku Klux Klan group.

The third important aspect is the boycott puts Martin Luther King Jr in the spotlight. The boycott was widely seen as the earliest of the civil rights protests to bring fair treatment for the blacks (Thornton, 2014). Martin Luther King in his effective leadership emerged as a prominent leader who had a national figure while on the other hand maintaining non-violent resistance. The boycott was very crucial in this case because it led to the rise of a national leader who would lead them in seeking for fair treatment of the African American people. Edgar Daniel Nixon was the one who recognized the leadership and charismatic traits in Martin Luther and even foresaw his rise. He also highlights that his towering stature came up as the headline after the resistance.

In conclusion, the Montgomery Bus boycott formed the earliest platform for the people to start agitating for their rights. There were numerous ills and racism that at this time led to the segregation of the blacks. The struggle was peaceful gets arbitrated through the courts. There was resistance, but the law is supreme the buses had no other choice but to integrate the African American. Finally, the rise of Martin Luther King Jr was a positive impact in the bid for the blacks to agitate for their rights.

References

JohnsonColeman, S. R. (2016). Montgomery bus boycott. The Wiley Blackwell Encyclopedia of Race, Ethnicity, and Nationalism.

Thornton, J. M. (2014). Challenge and Response in the Montgomery Bus Boycott of 19551956. Alabama Review, 67(1), 40-112.