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how long did the montgomery bus boycott last?

The Montgomery bus boycott lasted about 381 days, from December 5, 1955, to December 20, 1956.

Quick timeline

  • It began on December 5, 1955, the first workday after Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her seat on a Montgomery city bus.
  • It ended on December 20, 1956, after a U.S. Supreme Court decision made bus segregation in Montgomery unconstitutional.

Why 381 days matters

  • The 381-day length shows how long Black residents of Montgomery walked, carpooled, and organized rather than ride segregated buses.
  • That sustained pressure helped spark wider civil rights campaigns and pushed leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. into national prominence.

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