Rosa Parks and Dr. King in Montgomery, Alabama

Museums Honor Civil Rights Leaders, Tell About Montgomery Boycott

Nov 25, 2008

Early Civil Rights leaders in Montgomery, AL took a stand against segregation. Three historic sites honor these pioneers and mark the birth of the Civil Rights Movement.

On a December day in 1955, a black lady named Rosa Parks refused to give up her bus seat to a white man. At that time, it was the law that African-Americans must move to the back of the bus, and stand if their seat was needed for a white person. Tired at the end of a long day of working as a seamstress, Rosa Parks decided to take a stand by keeping her seat.

Little did anyone know that this quiet act of non-violent resistance would eventually lead to the end of segregation in the South. Rosa Parks was not the first to be arrested for refusing to give up her seat, but it was her act of defiance that led to the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

Today, Montgomery, Alabama is known as the Birthplace of the Civil Rights Movement. The Montgomery Boycott and the rise of a young charismatic preacher, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., marked the beginning of Civil Rights the country needed so desperately.

Several museums and memorials in Montgomery are dedicated to those Civil Rights leaders and pioneers who fought for equality and tolerance between the races. Below are the three that deal directly with Rosa Parks, MLK Jr and the Montgomery Boycott.

Rosa Parks Library & Museum

On the campus of Troy University on the corner of Montgomery and Moulton where Rosa Parks was arrested in 1955, this 7000 square-foot interactive, multi-media “experience” uses a replica of a 1950’s era Montgomery city bus to tell the story of the lady who would not give up her seat. A separate children’s annex helps little ones understand this historic moment with age-appropriate exhibits.

Open Monday through Friday 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Saturday 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM, and closed Sundays and holidays except by appointment. Admission is $5.50 for ages 12 to adult, $3.50 for children aged 4 to 12. Children under 4 are free.

A National Historic Landmark and the only church in which Dr. King was the senior pastor (1954 – 1960), the church still serves an active congregation. Tours include an 18-minute video in the church basement where the decision was made to conduct the bus boycott, a mural painted by church member, deacon John W. Feagin, depicting the events of the Civil Rights Movement, and the sanctuary and pulpit from which Dr. King preached his message of hope and brotherhood.

Public tours are about one hour long and are available Tuesday - Friday 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM and Saturday from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Admission is $7 for ages 12 to adult and $5 for children under 12. Discounts are available for visiting both the church and the Parsonage.

Dr. King and his new bride Coretta Scott King moved into the Parsonage when he assumed his duties as pastor at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church. They lived in the house from 1954 to 1960 and two of their children, Yolanda and Dexter were born while they were there. The home is furnished with pieces from that period, many belonging to the Kings. The Interpretive Center next door has a video and 30 unpublished personal photographs of the Kings.

Tours of the Parsonage are available Tuesday – Friday 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM and Saturday 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Admission is $7 for ages 12 to adult and $5 for children under 12. Discounts are available for visiting both the church and the Parsonage.

The copyright of the article Rosa Parks and Dr. King in Montgomery, Alabama in Alabama Travel is owned by Pamela Watson. Permission to republish Rosa Parks and Dr. King in Montgomery, Alabama in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.