Chapter 7: Montgomery Movement Begins, Chapter 8: The Violence of Desperate Men Summary and Analysis

December 1st, 1955 brings the resistance of Rosa Parks. The evening of her arrest, only a few know about it, including the man who signs her bail, E.D. Nixon. Nixon calls King the next morning. They organize a boycott and protest with another Montgomery pastor. King offers to host the boycott meeting at his church. They decide to encourage all black people in the city not to ride the buses. King is excited.

The bus operators are particularly nasty to blacks. They demand blacks move seats when whites board the buses and hurl racial epithets at them. King begins to have doubts about the use of boycotts, but later quells them. The boycott expands over the next several days. No blacks get on...