Bus Boycott and the Start of the US Civil Rights Movement - Stevii and Matt

This blog post is about the event that began the US Civil Rights Movement: the bus boycott. It was led by Rosa Parks, a young African-American woman who was determined to create equal rights for all citizens. It was the catalyst for the Civil Rights Movement, sweeping across America and subsequently, the world. Ø What methods did the group use to express their frustrations and ultimately lead to a revolution? Rosa Parks inspired a year-long bus boycott after refusing to give up her seat to a white man in the segregated city of Montgomery, Alabama. She was a simple seamstress, and active in the NAACP, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. On her way home from work, the bus driver demanded she surrender her seat to a white man. When she refused, her arrest and subsequent fine motivated local black leaders to take action. A young pastor and emerging civil rights movement leader, Martin Luther King Jr. led the boycott. Ø How is your revolution similar and/or different to one of the revolutions previously studied? In comparing the Bus Boycott to the People Power revolution in the Philippines, there are many similarities as well as differences. For example, they both involved boycotting. The Bus Boycott obviously boycotted buses, as well as other segregated modes of transportation such as elevators and taxis. However, People Power was designed to overthrow President Marcos, whereas the Bus Boycott was simply aimed at creating equal rights for all citizens and ending segregation. Both were peaceful revolutions, although there was some violence from others. In People Power, the rebels were threatened violently by the government, whereas with the Bus Boycott, the government was more peaceful, and the violence came from individuals and small groups who were against integration. Furthermore, the violence from the Bus Boycott did not become that bad until the boycott was over. Ø What was the eventual outcome of the revolution, and did the people become better due to the revolution? The bus boycott was meant to be for only a few weeks, but ended up lasting for over a year. This dealt a serious blow to the companies involved, as African Americans constituted roughly 70% of all riders. In the end, the boycott not only succeeded to let blacks all over the nation ride buses as equals, but also spurred on the Civil Rights movement to then unheard of heights. They became closer and even more determined for racial equality because they were forced overcome the many pressures put upon them, from bombings to shootings, and still move forward. Ø Was the revolution justified? Would other methods have worked? The revolution was justified, because it was a fight for equal rights which everyone deserves. I think that a peaceful boycott worked very well, and that it was the best choice for the revolution, because if they had resorted to violence, the government would have put them in jail, and never believed them. A peaceful demonstration is respectable, as well as effective, and people are much more likely to listen to you if you have a great deal of support and aren’t tearing the country apart. It also sparked many other revolutions, such as women’s rights. These revolutions are a very big part of the world that exists today, and without them, things would be very different now. For example, the 2008 elections in the US would be extremely different. There is an African-American, as well as a women running for president, and without the bus boycott, that might not have been possible in this age. Ø Briefly state whether or not your revolution follows Brinton Crane’s stages of the Revolution?The boycott followed the first few stages, but then deviate from the rest. The middle class, or in this case, the blacks loudly expressed their anger. Previous incidents like this had stoked their flames, and Rosa Parks was just what they needed to get going. The formation of the Montgomery Improvement Association (headed by King), while not a government, pushed for changes in the current one. From here, the boycott ran its course, with the federal district court taking down the laws on bus segregation after 381 days. The revolution was stopped, as the current government agreed to change. Sources:

"Parks, Rosa." Encyclopædia Britannica. 2008. 17 Jan. 2008

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"Interview with Rosa Parks." Scholatic, Helping Children Around the World to Read and Learn |

Scholastic.com. 2008. Scholastic Inc.. 28 Jan 2008

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"Rosa Parks Bus - The Story Behind the Bus." The Henry Ford: America's Greatest

History Attraction. 2002. The Henry Ford. 29 Jan 2008

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*NOTE - Our podcast got compressed for some reason or another.  Check it out WITHOUT the chipmunk voices here: http://boomp3.com/m/a41f6e8c0054/bus-boycott-podcast