Martin Luther King - Montgomery Bus Boycott

Martin Luther King

Martin Luther King Jr. played a key role in the Montgomery bus boycott of December 1955. This key event was kickstarted when Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her seat on a segregated bus. Martin Luther King Jr was brought in as a speaker at Holt Street Baptist Church, where he urged the people to continue the boycott and acted as a motivational force. Civil rights activists formed the Montgomery Improvement Association to boycott the public transit system until segregation in public transport was ended, and they chose King as their leader. In his role as the leader of the year-long Montgomery bus boycott, King utilized the leadership abilities he had gained from his religious background to forge a unique protest strategy that involved the mobilization of black churches and skilful appeals for white support. King’s home was bombed several times and his family’s lives were threatened but, he continued to lead the Montgomery Improvement Association, and the boycott for over a year, until finally the cities buses were desegregated.

Source 1 - The King Center Archive (The bus boycott sparks a movement)

http://www.thekingcenter.org/bus-boycott-sparks-movement

This source is a secondary source, that details Martin Luther King Jr’s effect on the Montgomery Bus boycott. This source served as a source for background information for Martin Luther KIng Jr. Due to the source being a secondary source it may not be as accurate as a primary source, but this source also has the benefit of hindsight.

Source 2 - An excerpt from Martin Luther KIng Jr’s first speech to the Montgomery Improvement association

We have no alternative but to protest. For many years we have shown an amazing patience. We