Bus Boycott Essay

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The Montgomery Bus Boycott “Rosa Parks believed that blacks were direct descendants of the greatest and proudest people who ever peopled the earth.” (Sanders) This quote could be consider true in today’s world, but back in the 1950’s most of America’s society would beg to differ. Whites were acknowledged superior to those of darker skin during those times, too. Blacks were fed up with Jim Crow Laws, so some took action. The African Americans of Montgomery, Alabama fought for the same rights as white citizens by staging a bus boycott, which led to the end of segregation. Segregation dominated Montgomery in the 1950’s, as well as Jim Crow Laws. (Tyvela) Blacks apart from whites, and whites apart from blacks. Everything was separate; bathrooms, waiting rooms, and even drinking fountains. Whites, though, were treated with respect and had the finer things, while blacks were uncared for and thought of being unintelligible. All of these actions occurred due to the color of people’s skin. December 1st, 1955 was a day to go down in history due to the act of modest Ms. Rosa Parks. Forty-two at the time, she was working as a seamstress at Montgomery Fair. Parks, after a long day at work, only wanted to return home, for she was tired after an exhausting day at work. Rosa actually waited for another bus after seeing the first bus’s seats were all occupied. When the second bus arrived she strolled on, not realizing until the doors closed, the driver was James Blake. Rosa had problems with Blake in the past, and only boarded the bus that day by accident. She then seated herself in the first row of the black section. The next stop was inundated with white passengers; all but one received a seat. Blake ordered for all the people in Parks’ row to move towards the rear. Parks, however, did not. He ordered her again and threatened to call authorities. Rosa stated that she had
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