1. Civil Rights Movement:
Major Events in the Early Years:
Montgomery Bus Boycott &
The Lunch Counter Sit Ins

2. MLK: The Early Years Born Jan 15, 1929 3rd Generation Preacher
First Real Exposure to Racism at 6 - White Friendship ended because of race
Started down a path of hating Whites-Changed after working on an integrated farm up North
Started at Morehouse college at 15 in 1944
Ordained at 19
June 1955 Earned Ph.D. - Theology/Philosophy from Boston University
Moved to Montgomery to start 1st Pastorate Position

3. Rosa Parks Refused to give up seat on Dec. 1, 1955
Was 42 y/o Secretary of Local NAACP Chapter and Department Store Seamstress
Refused to Give up Seat to White man that wanted her seat in the “Colored” section
Was Arrested for “Failure to Take a seat among the Race to which she belongs.”
Misdemeanor Offense that became a National Test Case for the NAACP

4. The Montgomery Bus Boycott: Birth of a Movement
Organized after the Arrest of Parks
Run by the MIA-Montgomery Improvement Assoc.
MLK Elected as President to oversee Operations
Citizens walked or used Organized Carpools
300 Cars donated to get people to work etc.
Tried to make it illegal to resist –Used Obscure Labor laws to arrest MLK twice
KKK firebombed MLK’s home in Jan. 1956
Nov 15, 1956 Local Court rules in favor of segregationist
Same day Supreme Court rules segregation on buses is illegal
Dec 20, 1956 Boycott Ends- Lasted 382 days

5. SCLC: The New Movement Formed after the Montgomery Bus Boycott
Main Platform was to oppose all forms of Segregation and to increase Voter Registration for People of Color
1960 MLK resigns from Montgomery Church to move to Atlanta and run the Organization
His work with this organization earns him worldwide attention and eventually the Nobel Peace Prize

6. The Student Sit Ins & SNCC
Feb African American students in Greensboro, NC stage the first Lunch Counter Sit-In at a Woolworths Arrested!
Peaceful Protest-No Retaliation
As soon as one is arrested, another took their place at the counter
MLK came to town and helped organize the Students and form SNCC
Joined by CORE-Congress On Racial Equality- From Northern Cities
Also Staged Wade-Ins at Segregated Pools and Beaches
Pray-Ins at White Churches
Led to the Freedom Riders