1953 – Baton Rouge Bus Boycott Begins

On June 19, 1953, African American residents of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, initiated a bus boycott to protest segregated seating. Led by Reverend T.J. Jemison, the boycott lasted eight days and resulted in a compromise allowing Black passengers to sit in the front of buses. This action served as a model for the more extensive Montgomery Bus Boycott two years later.

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