-          1 december 1955, Rosa Parks refused to sit in black bus section.

-          Began a black movement.

-          5 december, all Blacks refused to use buses – the boycott.

-          Walked or caught cabs that were reduced to buse fare price.

-          The MIA was formed – President was martin Luther King Jnr.

-          Taxis threatened because of their low fares.

-          Car pooling began.

-          First non violent protest.

-          Cont. through 1956.  Support grew.

-          When taken to Supreme Court, the blacks won and buses were desegregated.

-          MLK was the first to ride on desegregated buses.

-          60s were harder for blacks.

-          1 February  1960 saw first sit in at Greensboro Woolworths. (4blacks)

-          They were refused service and ignored.

-          The sit ins continued. The next day, 30 students. Some whites too.

-          White backlash – violence and abuse.

-          Store was closed.

-          Spread throughout the south.

-          April 1960 – 50000 protestors.

-          Some ‘white’ and ‘coloured’ signs removed.

-          Student Non Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) began Freedom Rides.

-          Travel on buses throughout south and use white facilities.

-          It wasn’t illegal but the law had not been put into action.

-          4 may 1961 – 6 white and 7 black. First freedom ride.

-          Some buses were burnt, some were attacked by mobs.

-          Kennedy sent troops to protect buses but they were too late.

-          Over 1000 Freedom Ride participants.

1961 November saw bus terminals desegregated

-          Completely segregated in 63.

-          Parks, bus lines, libraries all closed instead of integrated.

-          If MLK could succeed in Birmingham it would spread over the whole south.

-          Had to be well planned.

-          MLK aimed to motivate the black community in Birmingham.

-          Desegregate public facilities.

-          Marches also organized.

-          MLK was arrested for the 13^th time on Good Friday, 1963.

-          In prison, he wrote Letter from a Birmingham Prison.

-          King then convinced followers to use children in protests.

-          When riots broke out and were on TV, USA was shocked that children were being harmed.

-          A settlement was made to desegregate all public facilities.

-          Changed Birmingham forever.

-          Greatest protest for Black Civil Rights.

-          Involved 200,000 people from all over America.

-          Was occurring to present the Blacks needs and to support the Black Civil Rights Bill that had just been passed into congress.

-          March went from Washington Memorial to Lincoln Monument.

-          At the monument, many black and white celebrities were on stage.

-          Rosa Parks, original black civil rights activist, on stage.

-          The famous ‘I have a dream’ speech was given.

-          In 1964, the civil rights bill was passed.