Who was involved Who was involved
"Our leaders is just we ourselves" --Claudette Colvin
Contrary to many of the teachings of American and African American history, the Montgomery bus boycott was composed of many important figures, including, but not limited to Martin Luther King jr. and Rosa Parks. The movement was not only successful because of many prominent leaders but because of everyone-- students, maids, and executives that boycotted the buses. Here I will highlight key people and organizations, black and white who were involved in the boycott.
CLAUDETTE COLVIN-15 year old girl, who was the fist person who was arrested because she refused to give up her seat to a white person on March 2, 1955. Charges with violating segregation laws, she was tried convicted and fined.
JOANN ROBINSON-In 1949, after being yelled at by a white bus driver for accidentally sitting in an all white section of the bus, she vowed to improve racial mistreatment on the buses, but could not find the support she needed to boycott the buses. Later co-founded the Women are Political Committee and joined the MIA executive board. Dubbed as one of the most active people during the boycott by King, she drove carpools, edited their newspaper all while being an English teacher at Alabama State College.
E.D. NIXON-Pullman train porter. Founder of the Montgomery Voters League in 1943. Tried to advocate and promote black voting rights. Later became president of the Montgomery NAACP in 1946 through 1950. He bailed Parks out of jail. Influential member of MIA, who when the suggestion of a boycott was proposed said, "What's the matter with you people? Here you have been living off the sweat of these washerwomen all these years and you have never done anything for them. Now you have a chance to pay them back, and you're too damn scared to stand on your feet and be counted! The time has come when you men is going to have to learn to be grown men or scared boys"
GEORGIA GILMORE-Cook and midwife, who organized a group called "Club from Nowhere" (in order to remain unanimous), sold cakes, sandwiches, and pies and donated the proceedings to the boycott. Inspired several other groups to do the same.
MOTHER POLLARD-old black woman during the movement who supported and inspired King and other leaders by her unyielding faith in God and justice. When offered a ride on a bus she simply replied, "my feet's tired, but my soul is rested".
REVEREND RALPH ABERNATHY-Member of the MIA. Civil Rights Activist in Montgomery, would later go on to become the president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.
MARY LOUISE SMITH-an eighteen year old woman who was arrested on October 21, 1955 for refusing to move out of her seat for a white woman. Testified in Bowder v. Gayle. Tried, jailed, and fined nine dollars.
CLIFFORD DURR-white liberal lawyer, appointee of the FCC by Roosevelt. Dedicated to equality for all. Helped Parks get out of jail. Friends with Hugo Black.
HUGO BLACK-Supreme court justice, ex Alabama senator
CORETTA SCOTT KING-Kept up with boycott news in media, kept important MIA documents, and utilizing her love of singing held recitials. Her shining moment was when she preformed a benefit concert with Duke Ellington and Harry Belafonte
FRED GRAY-lawyer, protégé of Clifford Durr. Colvin and Smith were his clients.
GROVER HALL JR.-editor of the Montgomery Adviser
BAYARD RUSTIN-pacifist from New York, championed the Ghandian method
GLEN SMILEY-national field secretarty of FOR. White minister from Texas advocated non-violent civil rights movement and taught King Ghandian principles; but was also sympathetic to southern whites.
JAMES BLAKE-The bus driver who had Parks arrested, and refused to ever comment on the arrest until his death.
Organizations Involved WPC-Women's Political Committee, grassroots political organization that promoted social justice. Was an integral part of the bus boycott, and was actually the group that initially called for and organized a boycott after Parks' arrest.
MIA-Montgomery Improvement Association, formulated in 1955 to organize the bus boycott and combat other discriminatory practices.
FOR-Fellowship Of Reconciliation, a pacifist organization started in England in 1914. Created in order to find non violent resolutions to war situations. Believed in racial equality and harmony based on Ghandian methodology.
CORE-Congress of Racial Equality, sister organization of FOR was created in order to deal with racial prejudices in the North and Upper South.
SCLC-Southern Christian Leadership Conference, found in 1957. Wanted to encourage the use of nonviolent protest, by organizing marches, demonstrations, and boycotts.
CNI-Committee for Nonviolent Integration. Formed by Rustin and others who wanted to expand the bus boycott into a movement. There most important part in the boycott was running workshops for southern black leaders.
MEN OF MONTGOMERY-the group of white businessman formed because they were losing business in downtown
What was the Montgomery bus boycott
Montgomery, Alabama circa 1955
Read the law that called for segregation on the buses
White reaction and oppositional forces
Why was the boycott an important movement