How Did The Montgomery Bus Boycotts Affect The Civil Rights Movement

The civil rights movement was a political campaign in the United States during the mid 20th century. The aim of the movement was to end racial segregation and discrimination against African Americans and to help them gain rights as citizens. Beginning in the 1950s and lasting throughout the 1960s. During the movement, equality was best achieved through boycotts, sit-ins and legislation. During the civil rights movement, equality was best achieved by boycotts. The Montgomery bus boycott was an event during the civil rights movement that aimed to challenge the city's policy of racial segregation on public transit. The boycott happened in Montgomery, Alabama that took place for over a year starting in December 1955.The boycott was sparked by the

she describes the discrimination that they would endure on public transit, including being forced to move for white passengers and facing verbal abuse “when you get on the bus they yell: “Get on back there”... and half the time they wouldn't take your transfer, then they make you get up so white men could sit down where there were no seats in the back.” she also notes the economic impacts of the boycotts and how because of the boycott companies would lose financially, “we pay just like white men” and “we pay for white folks.[the bus companies] are the ones losing the money and our preachers say we will not ride unless they give us what we want.you see businessmen are losing money too, because people only go to town when they have to.”This highlights how connected the community is and how bus companies are not the only ones losing money, how it's also outside companies that lose customers. Overall, this passage helps provide insight into what African Americans were experiencing and the perspective of African Americans during the era of segregation and their efforts to challenge systemic discrimination through collective action. The boycott of buses showed the power of nonviolent protest and collective action. By not riding buses for over a year, African Americans were able to force the city to end segregation on buses, inspiring others to fight for equality

The Montgomery bus boycott served as a powerful example of nonviolent protest during the civil rights movement. Its success in challenging racial segregation inspired other forms of protest, including sit-ins. The freedom riders were civil rights activists who challenged segregation in interstate transportation facilities through multiple bus trips in 1961. Source G shows the freedom riders in the greyhound bus on May 14, 1961 in Alabama, a violent incident that occurred during the freedom rides. While protestors were on the bus, violent angry mobs came and threw a firebomb through one of the windows. Source G also shows Ralph David Abernathy and Martin Luther King Jr. participating in the Freedom Rides.The Freedom Riders directly challenged segregation laws in the South by riding integrated buses through states where segregation was still practiced. Their actions brought attention to the continued defiance of supreme court rulings against segregation in interstate transportation. The freedom riders also helped influence the Greensboro sit-ins. The determination of the freedom riders inspired young activists to use their actions to demonstrate the power of direct action in challenging segregation. The Greensboro sit-ins were a series of nonviolent protest against racial segregation that took place in Greensboro, N.C. and it started on February 1, 1960. Source H shows the sit-in lunch counter protests