To a large extent, the Montgomery Bus Boycott of 1966-1956 can be considered the most important turning point in the development of civil rights for African Americans in the period from 1865 to 1992. To consider a period as a turning point, it is necessary to determine whether it involved social, political and economic change. The Montgomery Bus Boycott promised greater equality for African Americans through bus desegregation and the widespread change it provided. It is useful to compare the Montgomery bus boycott with other possible turning points to judge its overall significance. The Reconstruction era could also be considered a turning point because African Americans gained more freedom and better opportunities. The Brown vs Board case can also be considered a turning point as it created an important legal precedent. However, both of these periods failed to achieve all three types of change. Therefore, it will be seen that, to a large extent, the Montgomery Bus Boycott was the most important turning point in the development of African American civil rights from 1865 to 1992. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The Montgomery Bus Boycott was not the first example of direct action protest, but it was the first to be truly effective in social, political aspects, and the economic change and success allowed it to gain momentum and continue to win in the 60s. The Montgomery Bus Boycott gained near-unanimous support from ordinary black men and women, giving them the chance to participate in an activity that involved effort but avoided danger, thus making the event widespread. Additionally, it can be argued that the Montgomery Bus Boycott was long-lasting as it lasted just over a year (December 1, 1966 – December 20, 1956) and was highly instrumental in desegregation. African Americans at this point demonstrated that they could organize a protest and cooperate with each other with minimal white participation, while still affecting white Americans. The boycott put financial pressure on the authorities who initially recklessly refused the slightest concession. Also in November 1956, at the initiative of the NAACP, the Supreme Court in the Brower V. Gayle case issued another favorable verdict due to this event. He ruled that segregation on buses is unconstitutional with reasoning similar to the Linda Brown case. A hole has been made in the vast Segregation tent. Additionally, the Montgomery Bus Boycott brought out a leading black activist; Martin Luther King made it a politically active and important demonstration, highlighting how decisive the change was. It has been argued that to some extent, social change was minimal in the Montgomery Bus Boycott as white Americans' attitudes towards African Americans did not change, however, it could be seen that they were more aware of black unity Americans. Furthermore, while this event certainly changed the attitude of the federal government as it demonstrated the power of a united black community and gave the civil rights movement the success and awareness it needed, one could argue that this is not It was necessarily a turning point but is instead just a manifestation of the build-up of tension following other turning points. It can be shown that the Reconstruction era brought about changesconsiderable and long-lasting through key pieces of legislation and constitutional changes. The Emancipation Proclamation ensured freedom for all African Americans and slavery was finally abolished. The 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments gained additional political rights for African Americans and provided lasting changes. However, improvements to the social and economic status of blacks were not long-lasting due to sharecropping and the end of Reconstruction. Overall the period 1865 to 1877 brought some lasting change, but only in the context of political rights. World War II, in contrast, brought major social and economic changes, but these changes were not as long-lasting. The increased opportunities afforded to African Americans, particularly in the North, by the wartime economy helped improve socioeconomic status. However, the return of white soldiers at the end of the war, who found that their jobs had been filled by black workers, led to renewed racial hostility and ultimately reversed any positive changes achieved. Compared to both previous periods, Johnson's presidency ensured permanent and lasting change that improved African Americans' status in society and access to political rights. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 helped de jure end segregation in the United States forever, and the Voting Rights Act of the following year finally guaranteed African Americans' access to the right to vote, 100 years after the end of slavery. Although this event was an immense turning point, the change created by this was not a continuous change as after the end of the Reconstruction era in 1877 all rights granted to African Americans were reversed. Black codes were put in place, segregation was made legal in the South, and white supremacist groups continued to discriminate with the emergence of groups like the KKK. Ultimately, the Montgomery Bus Boycott was a much more effective turning point as it created fundamental change and legal precedent to end the segregation that began with the Reconstruction era, however, it can be argued that if not had it been for the amendments and their lack of implementation, perhaps the quest for civil rights would have come much later. The Linda Brown Supreme Court case of 1954 was also a turning point; especially legally and politically. The decision set an important legal precedent and was expected to bring about important changes. It did so in a number of places outside the Deep South, where segregation had hitherto still prevailed, however progress was not rapid as by 1957 less than 12 percent of Southern school districts had been integrated. In the South there has been resistance to the entire principle of integration using the states' rights argument. The federal government was seen as a dictatorial agent attempting to impose its values ​​and opinions on people from different states. Although the Brown decision had little immediate impact, it represented a turning point. Among all federal institutions, the independent judiciary has proven to have no more political challenges regarding affirmative action on civil rights than were still present in Congress and the Presidency. With this decision the Warren Court ended the stranglehold of Plessy V. Ferguson precedent that had dominated black-white relations ever since. By going beyond simply attacking inequalities and insisting on the psychological need for integration of the bloc's minority, more liberal verdicts would follow, making this a fundamental change. Also the verdict gave to many southern blacks.