UNIT- II

PROSE
1. Martin Luther King, Jr
- Coretta S. King
Short Answers:
1. From Which biography the lesson was taken?
The lesson was taken from the biography of Coretta King’s “My Life with
Martin Luther King Junior”.
2. Who is the wife of Martin?
Coretta S. King is the wife of Martin Luther King.
3. Which year Martin get the Nobel Prize for Peace?
In 1964, Martin Luther King got Nobel Prize for Peace.
4. What is mean by MIA?
Montgomery Improvement Association.
5. When did the boycott started?
On December 5th 1955, the boycott was started.
6. Who is insulted in the bus?
Mrs. Rosa Parks a 42 years old black woman was insulted.
7. For how long the boycott started?
The boycott happened for 382 days.
8. Who are the main members of MIA?
Martin Luther King, Wife of Martin and Ralph Abernathy were the members of
MIA.
9. List the conditions of MIA.
i. The bus operators should treat the passengers with respect.
ii. Reservations of seats should be removed who comes first can occupy a seat.
iii. Negro route buses should be operated by the Negro bus drivers.
10. When did Martin’s house was bombed?
On 30th January, 1956 Martin Luther King’s house was bombed.
11. When did the case filed on Federal Court?
On 6th May 1956 the case was filed on Federal Court.
12. When did the case succeed in US Supreme Court?
On November 1956 the case succeed in US Supreme Court.
13. What is the main theme of the lesson?
Segregation of the black community is the main theme of the lesson.

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14. When is the Christmas gift offered to the blacks?
On 20th December 1956 the Christmas gift was offered to the blacks.
15. Who are the main passengers travelled on 21st 1956?
Rosa Parks, Ralph Abernathy, E.D. Nixon and Glenn Smiley are the
passengers travelled on 21st December 1956.
16. Who is the White man travelled on 21st December 1956?
Glenn Smiley is the White man travelled on 21st December 1956.
17. Whose principles are followed during the boycott?
Gandhian Principle and Christian faith are followed in boycott.
18. Who are the people meet by Martin during the boycott?
Martin Luther King met the City Commissioners, the Mayor of
Montgomery and the bus company officers.
19. What is the transportation during the boycott?
The transportation during the boycott was by foot, riding on horse or mule
and by cart.
20. Why Martin is happy at the end?
Martin was happy because the boycott was succeeding without any loss of
life.
Summary
Introduction to Coretta S. King
Coretta S. King is an American author, activist, Civil Rights leader and wife of
Martin Luther King, Jr. She was an advocate for African-American equality.
Coretta Scott King was the leader for the Civil Rights Movement in 1960’s. King
was also a singer who often incorporates music into her civil rights work. Coretta
and Martin both become increasingly active in the American Civil Rights
Movement. Her memoir, My Life with Martin Luther King, Jr., was published in
1969.
Introduction to the Prose
The prose piece “Martin Luther King, Jr.” is an extract from My Life with Martin
Luther King Junior by his wife Coretta S. King. The prose piece presents the segregation
the black community experienced in the American society. It also shows the emergence
of MIA (Montgomery Improvement Association) and the leadership of Martin Luther
King as its president.

          The locale of the prose is Montgomery, Alabama and the year is 1955. All over
America the blacks were discriminated by the white. Everywhere segregation was

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followed, that is the blacks and the whites were separated. They had different parks,
schools, public place, etc.
Conditions of Black People in the Bus
Most of the blacks that is about 70% of them used the bus services. Even then
they were treated worse than cattle. The first seats of the buses were reserved for the
whites and the blacks should not occupy those seats even if the seats were free. On the
other hand if the white seats were full and some white boarded the bus the blacks had to
give their seats for the white. They had to sit from the last that is from backwards. Worst
of this was they were ill treated by the drivers. The drivers of those buses humiliated the
blacks in front of their children by calling names as black cow, black apes. The
passengers paid the fare first and then got on the bus. Sometimes the drivers played a
cheap joke that is after collecting ticket fare, they started the bus by leaving the
passengers. The poor people after paying the money underwent this trouble. Mostly
elderly people and pregnant women faced such discrimination.
Turning Point in the History
          For many years the Blacks accepted such ill treatment without reacting to it. But
an incident that took place on Dec.1st 1955 changed the history of the blacks in America
especially in Montgomery. Mrs. Rosa Parks, a forty-two-year old black woman was
returning home after tiring work on Dec 1, 1955. As she was feeling tired she boarded a
bus and sat in a seat at the beginning of the black people’s row. More whites got into the
bus and the driver ordered her to get up to give seat for the white. Due to her tiredness
she refused to get up and it was considered as an unlawful incident. Due to it she was
arrested and produced in the court. Later she was fined ten dollars and her lawyer filled
for an appeal. This was the first case filed against a black for disobeying the law.
Boycotting the Bus Service
The news of Mrs. Rosa Parks arrest had spread around the city. Every black
thought that they had suffered a lot under white discrimination and that was the time to
end segregation. All the black ministers and civil leaders had a meeting regarding this
issue at Martin Luther King’s church. In the meeting they have decided to boycott the
bus services on 5th Dec.1955. Leaflets were circulated to convey about the boycott to the
black people. On Dec. 5th Martin Luther was very anxious to know the response for the
boycott from his own people.  He along with his wife and friend Ralph Abernathy
travelled around the city to check the response of the people for the boycott. Almost all
the buses were empty except a few whites and one or two blacks.
Involvements of the Black People

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 The blacks by boycotting the bus services travelled by various modes: most of
men and women were walking to their work and students were going by walk or many
were gathered together and travelled by taxi, some were ridding mules and horses. An
old lady said that her heart felt tired due to discrimination but now though her legs are
paining she feels happy.
Formation of MIA
          On the same day Martin Luther King was elected as a president of Montgomery
Improvement Association (MIA). That night Martin was to make a main speech. That
evening Martin with his friend Ralph Abernathy went for the meeting. He was
overwhelmed with the black people’s response for the meeting. The church where the
meeting was organized was crowded and the entire road was blocked with traffic jam.
More than five thousand people gathered for the meeting and as there was no space for
Martin to enter he was lifted and passed to the stage by the crowd. This shows the
people’s trust upon Martin. He addressed the people that they were tired of being
discriminated. This segregation had to be stopped somehow. He requested them to
continue with the boycott and not to force others to take part in it. They should act by
following the Christian faith.
Demands by the Black People
          The Blacks had three demands to withdraw the boycott. They were:
1. The bus operators should treat the passengers with respect
2. Reservation of seats should be removed; who comes first can occupy a seat
3. Negro route buses should be operated by the Negro bus drivers.
Regarding the demands, Martin met the Mayor of Montgomery, the City
Commissioners and the Bus Company Officers. But no decision was taken in the
meeting. The blacks were strong with their demands and they continue to boycott the
buses for several months. To maintain unity among the blacks’ mass meetings were
arranged weekly twice and the orators motivated the public. Martin was in particular
that they should follow the Gandhian technique of non-violence. This silent way of
protest against segregation has spread around the country.
Protest for both Blacks and White People
          Martin’s leadership quality was seen by his way of thinking and action. Once he
said that the protest was not only for the Black people’s sake but it was for the White
people too. Because the White people are suffering with superiority complex and
through the protest they can free the White as well from this.
Issues Faced by Martin

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 Due to the intensity of the boycott, Martin started receiving threat calls. He was
arrested on false charges. On 30th Jan. 1956, when Martin was addressing the public in
the Church, his house was bombed. The white police were nervous by thinking the
reaction of the blacks. But Martin said that his family was safe. Violence should not be
met with non-violence. He quoted Jesus’ words and followed Gandhian principle. These
incidents showed Martin as a potential leader.
Christmas Gift for Black
Later in the month of Feb. 1956, when Martin went out of the town with his wife, a case
was filed against Martin and ninety other leaders of his movement. His lawyer appealed
in the Federal court and the court dismissed the case as segregation as unlawful on
6th May 1956. The Whites filled appeal for in the U.S. Supreme Court. For many months
the boycott was continuing. The people had a tough life during bad weather. On Nov.13
When Martin was in court for the judgment, the court announced the judgment of the
Supreme Court that segregation as an unlawful act. The court order that stated
‘segregation as an unlawful act’ reached them on 20th Dec. 1956. It was considered as a
great Christmas present for the blacks.
Conclusion
The next morning a group of members gathered at Martin’s house. They all
travelled in the first desegregated bus and the whole day Martin travelled in different
buses to check the rights of the black. Thus desegregation in Montgomery was achieved
without losing a single life.