Browder vs Gayle Case (feb 1, 1956 – jun 5, 1956)
Description:
Due to the support of the car-pools and inspiring speeches by Martin Luther King, the boycotters didn’t give up - their determination increased
There was an increase in media coverage due to raising awareness of the problems of segregating and attracting support for the cause
The NAACP decided to intervene and challenge the issue of segregated transport in court as it had done with segregated education
On 1 February 1956, the case of Browder vs Gayle began in local court
The case argued that segregation of the buses was a violation of the 14th Amendment (that all American citizens were given equal protection of the law)
As a result, the MIA changed their approach and demand total desegregation of the buses as well
On 27th February 1956, approx 90 members of the MIA, including King and Parks, were arrested for ‘disrupting lawful business’
They were jailed until their trial on 19th March 1956 - all were found guilty and had to pay some fines
However, the trial gave the MIA an opportunity to show evidence of the abuses of white bus drivers, which gave the trial and boycott more publicity
It also attracted funding for the MIA as people from all over the USA sent donations to enable the boycott to continue
THE JURY’S DECISION
On 5th June 1956, the three judges in the Browder vs Gayle case rule by 2 to 1 that buses should be desegregated because the Brown versus Topeka decision should be applied to transport and education
The bus company, supported by White Citizens’ Councils, appealed to the Supreme Court but lost a first appeal on 13th November
The company tried again but lost the second appeal on 17th December
The Supreme Court agreed that buses should be desegregated - the MIA ended the boycott and, on 20th December 1956, AAs returned to their buses and could sit wherever they wanted to
Added to timeline:
USA 1945 - 1974
Date:
