On December 1, 1955, one voice in Montgomery, Alabama, quietly and resolutely said “No.” That single “no” kindled a fire that had burned from a decades-long tradition of activism and lit the way to the most influential boycott in this nation’s history.

The events that led to the 1955 Montgomery bus boycott culminated in the determined voice of an unyielding individual who stood up to the power of segregation. The story of Rosa Parks, an educated woman underemployed because of her skin color, has been recounted as a lone act of heroism against seemingly impossible odds.

But the truth is more powerful. Fifty thousand people of color forced, through a storm of hardship and courage, a segregated bus system to open its doors to equality. A young preacher took center stage and emerged as a symbol of national and international significance. And the city of Montgomery gave birth to America’s civil rights era.

The Smithsonian Institution, in collaboration with the Troy University Rosa Parks Library and Museum, offers an American story of bravery, honor, and idealism. The Montgomery bus boycott was the genesis of the modern civil rights movement and the first step in the long march toward realizing the goals of the Supreme Court’s landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision in 1954.

The boycott was initially a one-day protest to mark Parks’ December 5 court appearance and to register the weariness of those who endured daily assaults to their humanity. Over the course of 381 days, it evolved into a strategic act of faith and determination that galvanized a people who refused to give up hope.

Through a modernist collage of photographs, political cartoons, contemporary writings, and other text and images, 381 Days: The Montgomery Bus Boycott Story bears witness to a challenge met. Of a people—blacks and forward-thinking whites, young and old—joined in boycott by hope, by courage, by self-respect. And, in its wake, the tenets of a non-violent approach to political and social change matured into a weapon of equality for all Americans, no matter race, color, or gender.

This exhibition has been made possible through the generous support of AARP.

Contents	Photography, political cartoons, illustrations, text, audiovisual
Participation Fee	$5,000 for 10-week booking period
Size	3,500 sq. feet (325 sq. meters)
Category	History & Culture
Shipping	Prorated; SITES-designated carrier
SITES Contacts	Minnie Micu, 202.633.3160 (Scheduling) Marquette Folley, 202.633.3111 (Content)
Tours Through	4/11/2010

381 Days: The Montgomery Bus Boycott Story Exhibition Brochure An essay by Charles E. Cobb Jr. on the significance of the Montgomery bus boycott is complemented by period photographs, quotations from key figures in the boycott, and a timeline of notable dates in civil rights history. Download Exhibitition Brochure   Putting the Movement Back Into Civil Rights Teaching Scheduled for release to coincide with the 50th anniversary of Brown v. Board, this book provides lessons and articles on how to go beyond a heroes approach to teaching about the civil rights movement. Included are interactive, interdisciplinary lessons, readings, writings, photographs, graphics and interviews. Co-published by Teaching for Change and the Poverty & Race Research Action Council (PRRAC). Foreword by Congressman John Lewis, $25.00. Order this book from Teaching for Change Learn more about this book and other civil rights resources

11.10.2005

Smithsonian Marks 50th Anniversary of the Montgomery Bus Boycott
With New Traveling Exhibition

Media only: Jennifer Schommer (202) 633-3121
Muriel Cooper (202) 434-2597

381 Days: The Montgomery Bus Boycott Story, a four-year traveling exhibit, commemorates the 50th anniversary of Rosa Parks’ arrest and the bus boycott that followed. Developed by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES) in collaboration with the Troy University Rosa Parks Library and Museum, and generously underwritten by AARP, the exhibit explores these crucial, historic events, which ignited the national Civil Rights Movement. 381 Days, dedicated to the indelible spirit and memory of Mrs. Parks (1913-2005), premieres at the Alabama State Capitol in Montgomery on Dec. 2, with an opening reception on Dec. 1, also at the Capitol.

Parks’ arrest on Dec. 1, 1955, the catalyst for Montgomery’s citizens to take action, is only a fraction of the story. 381 Days examines the contributions and dedication of Montgomery’s black community, which made the boycott successful. The exhibition is a multidimensional collage of photographs, quotes and historical texts that bring this story to life and convey the dynamic energy of the movement.

“Rosa Parks’ extraordinary act was a profound turning point in the civil rights movement,” stated Anna Cohn, director of the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES). “We are extremely proud to share this American story of the courageous people of Montgomery who forced a segregated bus system to open its doors to equality.”

Four days after Parks’ arrest, 50,000 people united for a one-day boycott of city buses. Following its massive success, organizers formed the Montgomery Improvement Association (MIA), electing a young Martin Luther King Jr. as its president, and devised a strategy of grassroots organization and legal challenges that eventually broke the city’s ability to maintain segregated buses after 380 more days of the boycott.

During the boycott, a group of attorneys led by Fred Gray attacked the practice of segregation in public transit, recruiting four women as plaintiffs who, like Parks, had been arrested or harassed for refusing to give up their bus seats. Browder v. Gayle claimed that state and city segregation ordinances denied the plaintiffs equal protection of the law under the 14th Amendment. In November 1956, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled Montgomery’s segregated bus seating unconstitutional. The boycott ended once the ruling took effect.

381 Days also looks at the impact of the boycott’s success across the country and around the world. As the first major victory against legalized segregation, the strategies used in Montgomery were adapted by a new generation of activists dedicated to nonviolent protest.

AARP will honor the principals of the Browder v. Gayle case—Fred Gray, Aurelia Browder, Claudette Colvin, Susie McDonald and Mary Louise Smith—and the founding members of the MIA at the Dec. 1 opening reception.

“AARP proudly honors the individuals who confronted our government, the body tasked with upholding our constitution, with a simple request: ‘Protect and treat all U.S. citizens equally under the law,’” said AARP President Marie Smith. “Their acts of courage sparked a movement that changed the nation. We acknowledge them and present this exhibit to continue telling the story.”

AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization that helps people over the age of 50 have independence, choice and control in ways that are beneficial and affordable to them and society as a whole. The organization produces AARP The Magazine; AARP Bulletin; AARP Segunda Juventud; NRTA Live & Learn; and a web site, www.aarp.org. AARP Foundation is an affiliated charity that provides security, protection and empowerment to older persons in need with support from thousands of volunteers, donors and sponsors.

Situated on the historic site of Rosa Parks’ arrest, the Rosa Parks Library and Museum was built in tribute to both Parks and the civil rights movement in Montgomery. The museum is committed to educating audiences about the boycott and its continued effect on society.

SITES has been sharing the wealth of Smithsonian collections and research programs with millions of people outside Washington, D.C., for more than 50 years. SITES connects Americans to their shared cultural heritage through a wide range of exhibitions about art, science, and history, which are shown wherever people live, work and play. For exhibition description and tour schedules, visit www.sites.si.edu.