Montgomery, Alabama Circa 1955

Montgomery, Alabama was the birthplace of the bus boycott and also the civil rights movement. Known as one of the most notoriously segregated cities in the country, Montgomery harbored feelings of hatred and abuse towards African Americans, outlawing integration in schools, public restrooms, theatres and so on. The conditions of this city proved to be so volatile and oppressive that many believed that a revolution was crucial in order to establish decent living conditions within the black community in Montgomery. Below are some facts about the city in the 1950’s and the differences in the lives of African Americans and Whites.

• Prominent market for cotton, livestock, hardward lumber, and commercial fertilizer
• One of the largest cattle markets in the country
• Lack of heavy industry
• 63% of African American females were domestic workers
• 48% of African American men were domestics or laborers
• In 1950, the median income for whites was $1730 while the median income for African Americans was $970
• In private homes, 90% of whites had flushing toilets, opposed to the 31% of African Americans
• Despite the decision of Brown v. Board of Education, Montgomery schools were still segregated
• African Americans were forced to ride on a separate cab system than whites since it was illegal for blacks and whites to ride in cabs together
• County laws made it hard for African Americans to vote, and only 2,000 out of 30,000 were registered to vote in 1954
• There were no African Americans that were allowed to hold public office

What was the Montgomery bus boycott

Montgomery, Alabama circa 1955

Theology of the movement

Read the law that called for segregation on the buses

Who was involved?

White reaction and oppositional forces

Why was the boycott an important movement

Annotated bibliography

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