Baton Rouge bus boycott facts for kids

The Baton Rouge bus boycott was a protest that happened in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in 1953. African-American people living in the city stopped riding the public buses. They did this to fight against unfair rules that separated people by race on buses. These rules were part of something called Jim Crow laws. Even though about 80% of bus riders were Black, they were forced to sit in the back of the bus. This was true even when the front seats were empty.

Why the Boycott Started

At first, some activists suggested a new idea to the city. They wanted Black riders to be able to sit in the front of the bus. However, they would agree not to sit right next to white people. The City Council liked this idea and passed a new rule called Ordinance 222.

Bus Drivers' Strike

But the bus drivers, who were all white, did not want to follow this new rule. They went on strike, meaning they stopped working. The strike lasted for four days. Because of the strike, the new rule was canceled. The Louisiana Attorney General said the rule was not allowed. After this, the drivers went back to work.

Organizing the Protest

After the rule was canceled, a leader named Reverend T. J. Jemison helped organize a group called the United Defense League. They decided to start a bus boycott. This meant that Black residents would refuse to ride the city buses.

People met in large groups four times to plan the boycott. In just two days, they raised $6,000 to help with the protest. About 14,000 people stopped riding the buses. Instead, they got free rides from community members. People used about 25 private cars to drive others around during the boycott.

How the Boycott Ended

The boycott lasted for six days. It ended when the city passed a new rule called Ordinance 251. This rule changed how people sat on the buses. Black riders would fill the bus from the back seats forward. White riders would fill the bus from the front seats toward the back. Black and white people were not allowed to sit in the same row next to each other. Also, the two front seats were only for white riders. The wide back seat was only for Black riders.

Impact of the Boycott

The Baton Rouge bus boycott did not have a huge effect on the city's transportation right away. But it was very important for the larger Civil Rights Movement. Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. learned about the boycott. He talked with Reverend Jemison about how they organized the protest. He was especially interested in the system of free car rides. This car system was a big reason why the Baton Rouge boycott worked.

The 1953 Baton Rouge bus boycott became a model for the famous 1955 Montgomery Bus Boycott. The Montgomery boycott also used a similar carpool system. The Baton Rouge boycott also encouraged people to fight for other important rights, like the right to vote.

Remembering the Boycott

To honor the importance of the 1953 Baton Rouge Bus Boycott, the Toni Morrison Society chose Baton Rouge for its "Bench by the Road" project. This project places special benches at places that are important to African-American history. The bench for the bus boycott is at the McKinley High School Alumni Center.