LOUISVILLE, Ky. — During Black History Month, the Transit Authority of the River City (TARC) is saving a seat on every bus in its fleet to honor Rosa Parks and her contribution to the civil rights movement.
Her refusal to surrender her seat to a white male passenger in 1955 led to her arrest and triggered a wave of protests in Montgomery, Alabama and other communities in the South.
The Black community of Montgomery and their allies organized and promoted a boycott of the city bus line.
Led by a young Martin Luther King Jr., the boycott lasted for more than a year before bus segregation was ruled unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court.
The Montgomery Bus Boycott sparked other protests such as sit-ins, eat-ins, and swim-ins, and saw thousands demanding equal rights for all people.
Each saved seat on TARC's buses will have a sign reminding riders of how Rosa Parks' quiet, courageous act changed the course of American history in Montgomery, Alabama in 1955.
“Rosa Parks’ bravery and commitment to justice and equality helped end legal segregation in America, and it all began on a city bus,” said TARC Executive Director Carrie Butler. “TARC is proud to join transit agencies across the country to honor her legacy and the movement she helped to create.”
TARC has delivered transportation services to the Greater Louisville community for nearly 50 years. With a team of 700 employees and contractors, TARC operates across 30 routes in Louisville and Southern Indiana.
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