Mary Louise Smith (activist) facts for kids
Mary Louise Ware (born Mary Louise Smith in 1937) is an important African-American civil rights activist. When she was 18, in October 1955, she was arrested in Montgomery, Alabama. This happened because she refused to give up her seat on a bus that was segregated. She was one of several women arrested for this before Rosa Parks. Rosa Parks became a key figure for the Montgomery bus boycott, which began on December 5, 1955.
On February 1, 1956, Mary Louise Smith was one of five women who sued the state. Their lawsuit, called Browder v. Gayle, challenged the unfair bus segregation laws. On June 13, 1956, a special court decided these laws were against the United States Constitution. The United States Supreme Court agreed with this decision on November 13. This was a very important ruling. On December 20, 1956, the Supreme Court ordered Alabama to end bus segregation. This also marked the end of the Montgomery bus boycott.
Contents
Mary Louise Smith's Early Life
Mary Louise Smith was born in Montgomery, Alabama. She grew up in a Catholic family. She and all her brothers and sisters went to and finished school at St. Jude Educational Institute. She was also baptized at St. Jude's Church, where her family attended.
On October 21, 1955, when she was 18, Smith was riding a city bus home. She was told to give up her seat to a white passenger who had just gotten on the bus. She bravely refused to move. Because of this, she was arrested. She was charged with not following the segregation rules. This happened about 40 days before Rosa Parks was arrested for a similar reason. Smith was fined $12.
A lawyer named Fred Gray asked Smith and her father to join a lawsuit. This lawsuit aimed to end segregated seating on city buses for good.
The Browder v. Gayle Lawsuit
On February 1, 1956, lawyer Fred Gray and other attorneys filed a lawsuit. It was called Browder v. Gayle. This lawsuit challenged the state and local laws that made bus segregation legal. Mary Louise Smith was one of five women who were part of this important case. The other plaintiffs included Aurelia Browder, Claudette Colvin, Susie McDonald, and Jeanetta Reese. (Jeanetta Reese later left the case because she was threatened.)
The women, except for Reese, spoke in front of three judges. On June 13, 1956, the court decided that the segregation laws were unconstitutional. This decision was based on the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which promises equal protection for everyone.
The city and state appealed this decision. The case then went to the United States Supreme Court. On November 13, 1956, the Supreme Court agreed with the lower court's ruling. On December 17, they refused to hear another appeal from the city and state. Finally, on December 20, the Supreme Court ordered Alabama to end bus segregation. This important order successfully ended the Montgomery bus boycott.
Mary Louise Smith's Later Life
Mary Louise Smith later married Mr. Ware. They had children together. She continued to follow the civil rights movement. However, she was not actively involved in political groups. She did attend the famous 1963 March on Washington.
In 1969, Smith and her sister allowed their sons to be part of a lawsuit. This lawsuit was against the Montgomery YMCA for racial discrimination. Lawyer Morris Dees represented their case. The lawsuit stated that the YMCA would not let her and her sister's children join their summer camp program. In 1972, the U.S. District Court ruled in their favor. This decision ended segregation at the YMCA. It also removed other segregation rules in the city.
Today, Mary Louise Smith is active with her 12 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren. She still lives in Montgomery, Alabama. Her older sister lives just across the street.
When Rosa Parks passed away in October 2005, Mary Louise Smith Ware, who was 68 at the time, attended the memorial service in Montgomery. She said, "I had to pay my tribute to her, she was our role model."
Recognizing Mary Louise Smith
- Rita Dove, a famous United States poet, mentions Mary Louise Smith in her poem "The Enactment." This poem is in her book, On the Bus with Rosa Parks (1999). Dove also wrote about the young activist in her magazine article "The Torchbearer Rosa Parks".
- In 2019, a statue of Rosa Parks was revealed in Montgomery, Alabama. On the same day, four granite markers were also revealed near the statue. These markers honored four women who were plaintiffs in the Browder v. Gayle case, including Mary Louise Smith. Smith herself took part in this special unveiling ceremony.
- In 2023, Mary Louise Smith received her own historical marker in Montgomery. This marker recognizes her important actions and contributions.
See also
