Montgomery Bus Boycott
The Montgomery Bus Boycott started in 1955 after Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her seat to a white person on a bus. It lasted for over a year and brought the Black community in Montgomery, Alabama, together to stand up against unfair bus rules. This protest was a big step in the Civil Rights Movement and helped show the rest of the country how unfair segregation was. It wasn’t just about one bus ride; this was about fighting for equal rights and respect. The boycott is one step towards fighting for justice.
The Bigger Problem: Structural Violence
The Montgomery Bus Boycott wasn’t just about a few bad people being racist, but it was about a whole system being unfair. This system of rules and laws is called structural violence. It made everyday life harder and more dangerous for Black people. For example, on buses, Black riders were forced to sit in the back and give up their seats to white passengers. These unfair rules weren’t accidents. They were part of the law.
The Bus Boycott was a way of fighting back against this system, not just against a few people. It showed that everyday actions, like walking instead of riding, could challenge an entire structure of injustice.
