The Montgomery Bus Boycott Lesson starter: Write down what you know about Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

Today we will… Understand the events that led to Rosa Parks’ arrest in Dec 1955 Examine why the bus boycott became a success for the Civil Rights movement

Who? Rosa Parks, 42 year old seamstress From Montgomery, Alabama She had grown up in a segregated society She was a Civil Rights Worker – worked for National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People (NAACP)

What happened? In 1943, Rosa had already experienced discrimination on Montgomery Buses December 1955, she was told to give up her seat for a white person and refused She was arrested The NAACP decided to encourage Black Americans to boycott the city’s buses James F Blake, bus driver

The NAACP handed out 35,000 leaflets urging people to boycott buses 5 Dec onwards – boycott starts People walked, cycled and carpooled Terrible weather Lasted for 381 days Hundreds of buses lay unused

Rosa being arrested

Empty buses

Walking to work

Why was the boycott so important? 75% of bus users were Black – the bus company eventually had to give in and desegregated Montgomery Buses The boycott lasted over a year – 381 days It showed the financial power of Black people It created publicity for the Civil Rights movement It inspired people to stand up for their rights – after all, Rosa was just an ordinary woman It gave the Civil Rights movement a leader – Martin Luther King who inspired the boycotters

Video Clips Bus Boycott Rosa Parks Rosa Parks funeral (click link at top right)