M a r t in L u t h e r K in g jR .and R o s a P a r k s
? o 0 6
r p e c i et i e d / ! / o / ? _____
Page B IG
January I I , 200b
Rosa Parks Arrest, Public Response:
“Actually, it began as soon as it was announced. It was
put in the paper that I had been arrested. Mr. E.D. Nixon was
the legal redress chairman o f the Montgomery branch o f the
NAACP, and he made a number o f calls during the night,
called a number o f ministers. I was arrested on a Thursday
evening, and on Friday evening they had the meeting at the
Dexter Avenue Baptist Church, where Dr. Martin Luther
King was the pastor. A number o f citizens came and I told
them the story, and it became news about my being arrested.
My trial was December 5th, when they found me guilty. The
lawyers Fred Gray and Charles Langford, who represented
me, filed an appeal and, o f course, I didn't pay any fine. We
set a meeting at the Holt Street Baptist Church on the
evening o f December 5th, because December 5th was the day
the people stayed off in large numbers and did not ride the
bus. When they found out that one day's protest had kept
people off the bus, it came to a vote and, unanimously, it was
decided that they would not ride the buses anymore until
changes fo r the better were made. "
- Rosa Parks
E.D. Nixon, legal redress chairman o f the
Montgomery branch of the NAACP
Rosa Parks in 1955
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The black churches in
Montgomery in the
1 950's were integral in
organizing and
motivating the african
american population for
the bus boycott and
other protests used to
promote change and
equality.
Martin Luther King Jr.
rose to the forefront as
the vocal and visual
leader o f civil rights
reform in Montgomery.
After the bus boycott his
message for change
through peaceful protest
would sweep through
the nation.
" The time is always right
Your vote is yo u r voice.
to do what is right."
'
Use it!
¿Jr.
At the Housing A uthority of Portland, we are committed
to w orkforce and contracting diversity. We support
p a rtic ip a tio n o f disadvantaged, m in o rity -o w n e d ,
women-owned and emerging small businesses on HAP
projects. Visit our website at w w w .hapdx.org or call
Jerry Walker, HAP's Purchasing Manager, at 503-802-8509
to learn about opportunities.
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a ' p
HOUSING AUTHORITY OF PORTLAND
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