Introduction
There are many historical examples where people have manifested their citizenship and protested against injustice. Due to their multiplicity and resilience, many have been able to transform not only their lives but the lives of the entire city or country. Examples of civil disobedience include the Salt March and Tiananmen Square Protests. These developments prove, on the one hand, the virtues of democracy and, on the other hand, give people hope that they can change their destiny. This essay will discuss one such protest, called Montgomery Bus Boycott. Thanks to the efforts and perseverance of ordinary citizens during the Montgomery Bus Boycott, fundamental civil rights changes have occurred in the United States of America.
History and Goals of The Protest
The Montgomery Bus Boycott was chosen as the event to be described. It took place from December 5, 1955, to December 20, 1956 in Montgomery, Alabama (History.com, 2023). Ordinary Americans had decided to voice their discontent about an incident that occurred four days before the protests began (History.com, 2023). According to History.com (2023), “Rosa Parks, an African American woman, was arrested and fined for refusing to yield her bus seat to a white man.” (p. 2). The incident occurred and spread rapidly throughout the country, and caused anger among many people.
The main goal of the Montgomery Bus Boycott was to end the practice of racial segregation on public buses. The boycott was organized by a group of African American leaders, including Martin Luther King Jr., and it aimed to put economic pressure on the bus companies and the government (History.com, 2023). In addition to the main objective, the protesters wanted to draw attention to the issue of racially discriminatory practices in general (World History, 2020). The importance of the Montgomery Bus Boycott is that people have demonstrated and emphasized the injustice of the events taking place in the United States.
The Result and Achievements
The protest took place over a year, and the protesters demonstrated tenacity in their desire to change lives in the country. On December 20, 1956, the United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama ruled that the Montgomery city and county laws requiring segregation on buses were unconstitutional (Montgomery). In addition, the boycott helped to establish Martin Luther King Jr. as a prominent leader in the Civil Rights Movement (World History, 2020). As mentioned in previous paragraphs, the protest involved economic pressure on bus companies in Montgomery. The result was a loss of revenue for the bus companies and the city (World History, 2020). This factor led to changes in the laws regarding bus segregation, particularly in Montgomery (World History, 2020). Therefore, during the protest Montgomery Bus Boycott, people not only achieved their goals but has changed the life of Americans for decades. It was successful in desegregating the buses in Montgomery and it helped to spur the Civil Rights Movement forward.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it will be essential to highlight the significance of the Montgomery Bus Boycott event for the history of the United States of America. This historical event was one of the fundamental foundations of the democratic system of the state and demonstrated the ability of ordinary Americans to influence processes in the country. Participants were able to achieve their goals and, through approaches such as economic pressure on bus companies and the government, change the civil rights systems of the U.S. In addition, the importance of the Montgomery Bus Boycott is to provide a framework for continuing the fight against injustice against African Americans.
References
History.com Editors (2023). Montgomery bus boycott. History. Web.
Montgomery bus boycott. Stanford University. Web.
World History. (2020). Web.