Historical Events to Remember for Black History

On December 1, 1955 Rosa Parks boarded a city bus and sat in the fifth row with three other African Americans. The first four rows were reserved for Caucasians. A few stops later, one Caucasian was left standing without a seat so the bus driver ordered Rosa Parks' row to move. She refused and was arrested. Jo Ann Robinson started planning a one day boycott of Montgomery buses for December 5, 1955. The boycotters organized a group known as the Montgomery Improvement Association. Martin Luther King was elected as their president. They had to decide if one day was enough or if they should extend the boycott. The MIA voted unanimously to continue the boycott. The city agreed to prosecute taxi drivers who charged only ten cents to ride, same as bus fare. The MIA was faced with the prospect of thousands having no way to get around town. So they organized a private taxi plan. In an effort to end the boycott, King's home was bombed on January 30, 1956. 89 African Americans were indicted under a law prohibiting boycotts. The US Supreme Court ruled segregation on buses unconstitutional on November 13, 1956 officially ending the boycott. However, African Americans did not ride buses again until December 21, 1956. This was a major event that helped launch the civil rights movement in the South.

Little Rock Arkansas (1957)

In the summer of 1957, Little Rock, Arkansas made plans to desegregate public schools. Nine African American students were advised to not show up on the first day of Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. Orville Faubus, the governor of Arkansas actually ordered 270 national guards to keep the nine students from entering the school. They tried to enter the school with 2 white and 2 black ministers escorting them. The guards did not allow them into the building. The national guard only left after 18 days because of a federal court order.

On Septermber 24, 1957 President Eisenhower ordered 1000 members of the 101^st Airborne Division of the United States Army to establish law and order. He also federalized the Arkansas National Guard. This was the first time since the Civil War that federal troops were sent to the South to help African Americans. The U.S. Army left at the end of November. The National Guard stayed for one year. Eight of the nine students stayed for the whole academic year and Ernest Green graduated.