Montgomery

Montgomery. . , There were 400,000 enslaved Black people in Alabama at the start of the Civil War, the largest number of whom were in Montgomery and surrounding counties. Two-thirds of the population of Montgomery County were enslaved Black people in 1860. Following the war, emancipation could have created opportunities and growth for everyone in the region but the collapse of Reconstruction enabled those who opposed racial equality to reclaim power and impose racial hierarchy, segregation, and economic exploitation of freed Black people. , Enforced through peonage, convict leasing, lynching, and violence, the racial caste system in Alabama was codified in 1901 when a state constitution was adopted with the stated purpose of "preserving white supremacy." Throughout the first half of the 20th century, Black people in Montgomery were subjected to a violent system of racial segregation, frequently abused, beaten, imprisoned, lynched, or killed. They were humiliated daily on city buses. , The activism of people in this community following the arrest of Rosa Parks shocked the world. Nearly 50,000 Black people boycotting buses for over a year was an unprecedented act of organized resistance. Committed citizens here ultimately succeeded in ending degradation and abuse on buses, one of the most unavoidable spaces of racial bigotry. The courage and commitment of Black people in Montgomery inspired a movement that spread across the country. , A decade later, when thousands of people marched for voting rights up Montgomery Street, the street of this site, a new era in America was born. The passage of the Voting Rights Act in 1965 and the end of codified racial segregation that had persisted for over a century lifted this nation closer to its promise of liberty and justice for all. , We are the heirs of this powerful movement that strengthened this country. We honor everyone who suffered, died, or struggled for justice in this community. We celebrate those who committed their lives to racial equality decades ago and those who continue to do so today. The battle is not over and more work remains.