The Power of the Small

December 5th marks the anniversary of the Montgomery Bus Boycott, which served as the springboard for the Civil Rights Era. In 1955, the Montgomery bus boycott began in Alabama in response to Rosa Parks’ arrest for refusing to give up her seat on a municipal bus to a white man. The African American community organized the boycott until December 20, 1956, when a U.S. Supreme Court ruling integrated the public transportation system.

The boycott organization reminds us of Margaret Mead’s quote: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” 

This seems particularly relevant today as individuals and groups consider how to address the current tax on democracy, DEI, voting rights, and other recent reversals of inclusionary actions. If we look back on what the citizens of Montgomery were able to accomplish, it doesn’t appear overwhelming or insurmountable.  

As we highlight the bus boycott, we want to acknowledge the role of women. In 1946, the Women’s Political Council (WPC) started protesting the Montgomery city buses. The WPC also played a pivotal role, organizing it through a door-to-door campaign in a matter of days. As a result, most of Montgomery’s 50,000 African American residents participated in the boycott. They walked, carpooled, took taxis, or hitchhiked to get to work or school. 

In reflecting on the outcome, King said of the bus boycott: “We came to see that, in the long run, it is more honorable to walk in dignity than ride in humiliation.” King’s role in the bus boycott garnered international attention, and the tactic of mass nonviolent protest became the model for challenging segregation and racial oppression in the South.