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Research Question: To what extent was Martin Luther King Jr. responsible for the success of the Montgomery Bus Boycott 1955-56?

By Marioly Jimenez, Word count: 1666

Plan of Investigation, Word count: 156
The plan of this investigation is to determine the extent to which Martin Luther King’s actions and decisions caused the success of the Montgomery Bus Boycott.
The primary method of this investigations will be to compare witnesses’ testimonies to each other from before the success of the bus boycott to after its success to see which of King’s actions coincide. Afterwards these actions will be evaluated for their responsibility by seeing how they affected the boycott’s success. Additionally, this investigation will study other witness accounts to provide information about how other people reacted to King’s speeches, and how action taken by the public was responsible for the success of the boycott. Finally, the investigation will take into account historian’s analysis about King’s actions.
The scope of this investigation will focus on how the public was moved by King’s actions. How they reacted will then be used to evaluate how king caused the success of the boycott.

Summary of Evidence, Word count 502
• Martin Luther King was the president and chairman of a “negotiating committee” that was set up and composed of about a dozen people, delegated to represent the Montgomery Improvement Association (MIA) in the viewpoint discussions with white officials. He devoted much of his time to this role and was the spokesman authorized to deliver the African American opinions at conferences. MIA had two other committees including the financial and transportation committees, these played a large role in coordinating the boycotts and were all largely led by King (Garrow).
• On Dec. 7, 1956, King was asked to appeal for volunteer drivers at a mass meeting, he accepted the offer and the crowd’s response was better than expected since about 20 people donated

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