Baton Rouge bus boycott

Baton Rouge Bus Boycott
Part of the Civil Rights Movement
Date	June 19, 1953 – June 24, 1953
Location	Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States
Methods	Boycott
Resulted in	Partial desegregation of city buses
Lead figures
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Units involved
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The Baton Rouge Bus Boycott was a pivotal event in the early Civil Rights Movement in the United States. Taking place in June 1953, it served as a precursor and model for the more famous Montgomery Bus Boycott that occurred two years later.

Background

In the early 1950s, Baton Rouge, the capital city of Louisiana, was a segregated city where African Americans faced numerous forms of discrimination, including in public transportation. The city buses were segregated, with African Americans required to sit at the back of the bus, even if seats at the front were empty.

In March 1953, the Baton Rouge City Council passed Ordinance 222, which allowed African Americans to sit in the front seats of the buses if they were not occupied by white passengers. However, this ordinance was largely ignored by the bus drivers, leading to growing frustration among the African American community.

The Boycott

The boycott was initiated by Reverend T. J. Jemison, a prominent African American leader and pastor of the Mount Zion Baptist Church. On June 19, 1953, African Americans in Baton Rouge began a boycott of the city buses to protest the discriminatory seating practices.

The boycott lasted for six days, during which the African American community organized a free carpool system to provide transportation for those who needed it. This carpool system was a critical component of the boycott's success, as it allowed participants to avoid using the buses while still maintaining their daily routines.

Resolution

On June 24, 1953, a compromise was reached between the city and the African American leaders. The agreement allowed African Americans to sit in the front seats of the buses, except for the first two rows, which were reserved for white passengers. This compromise was seen as a partial victory, as it marked a step towards desegregation, although it did not fully eliminate segregation on the buses.

Legacy

The Baton Rouge Bus Boycott was significant for several reasons. It was one of the first successful bus boycotts in the United States and served as a model for future actions, most notably the Montgomery Bus Boycott in 1955, which was led by Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr.

The boycott demonstrated the power of organized, nonviolent protest and highlighted the importance of community solidarity in the fight for civil rights. It also showcased the effectiveness of alternative transportation systems, such as carpools, in sustaining a boycott.

See also

• Civil Rights Movement
• Montgomery Bus Boycott
• T. J. Jemison

References

• Fairclough, Adam. Race and Democracy: The Civil Rights Struggle in Louisiana, 1915-1972. University of Georgia Press, 1995.
• "Baton Rouge Bus Boycott." Louisiana Digital Library. Accessed October 2023.

External links

• CRMvet.org: Baton Rouge Bus Boycott