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Montgomery Bus Boycott
This boycott was caused by Rosa parks refusing to give up her seat on a bus to a white man, and getting arrested. Dec. 1, 1955, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. proposed a citywide boycott, against racial segregation on the public transportation system. The boycott continued for 381 days. -
Birmingham Campaign
The campaign had a boycott of businesses that only hired white people and maintained segregated restrooms. Protesters used some nonviolent tactics, like marches, and had the goal of getting arrested, so that the city jail would become too crowded. This campaign was successful, signs of segregation in businesses came down, and public places were accessible to people of all races. -
March on Washington
The largest political rally for human rights ever in the United States. 200,000 to 300,000 participants assembled at the Mall in Washington D.C, to protest for jobs and freedom of African Americans. Martin Luther King delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech at the Lincoln Memorial. -
Bloody Sunday
The march is known as Bloody Sunday for the violent beatings state troopers gave protesters as they attempted to march peacefully. The march’s goal was to protest the lack of voting rights for African Americans. 600 protesters were led by John Lewis. The police violence brought the march to an end quickly. Footage of the brutality, was broadcast across the nation and sparked the public to outrage. -
Vietnam War Opposition
Many groups opposed the Vietnam War in the massive peace movement of the 1960s and '70s. King compared the antiwar movement to the civil rights movement and denounced U.S. involvement in a series of speeches, rallies and demonstrations. Martin Luther kings first public speech against the war, was called “Beyond Vietnam,” and was in front of 3,000 people at the Riverside Church in New York. He called for a stop to all the bombing in North and South Vietnam. -
Poor People’s Campaign
The goal for the Poor People’s Campaign, was to gain more economic and human rights for poor Americans from all backgrounds. The campaign included Asian Americans, Mexican Americans, Puerto Ricans, Native Americans and whites along with African Americans. When Martin Luther King was assassinated, the march was postponed.The bill of rights the campaign had strived for never became law, but the government started several programs to end hunger.