Today we are honoring those that organized, led and attended the weekly meetings held during the Montgomery boycott.
One unusual aspect of the boycott was its peaceful tone. The violence that did emanate from the boycott largely came from segregationists and people upset with the boycott. How did fifty thousand people, all justifiably angry about daily mistreatment and bigotry, stay peaceful and focused on acts of resistance without violence?
The answer is community – by holding these weekly meetings, people had a place to gather, to learn, support, vent, and remember they were not alone in the fight.
Much of the emotional tone of the boycott is credited to ministers like Dr. King, but we wanted to highlight the thousands of people who attended these meetings each week. They committed to hearing and following the emotional appeals to dignity and grace made by the pastors they listened to. As people would become riled up, the faith leaders redirected that energy towards, patience, grace and focus on the end goal of integration.
Without attending these weekly meetings and the leadership of the ministry within the movement, the peace that allowed the boycott to function could not have been maintained. It could easily have descended into violence only to be crushed by police or military involvement and the boycott may have fallen apart. The incredible resolution, integration, was achieved through dedication, community support and the firmly held belief that all people are created equal.
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