According to court transcripts and personal accounts on March 2, 1955, Claudette Colvin, a 15-year-old teenager from Booker T. Washington High School was arrested, jailed, and charged with violating segregated bus laws of Montgomery. She is the first person of record to plead not guilty and demand a court trial. October 21, 1955 Mary Louise Smith an 18-year-old graduate of St Jude High School was arrested, jailed and fined for refusing to give up her seat on a bus. Mrs. Aurelia Browder and Mrs. Sue McDonald had incidents on the bus in April and October 1955 respectively; they were forced to give up their seats by bus drivers for white passengers. Mrs. Jo Ann Robinson, President of the Women’s Political Council (WPC) on December 2, called for a one-day protest for December 5, 1955 in protest of Mrs. Park’s arrest, the arrest of the two teenagers earlier that year, and because of mistreatment of black bus riders in general.

It is interesting to note that none of the Montgomery women, including Mrs. Parks, were sitting in the white section of the bus, they protested because they were being forced to give up their seats in the Negro section of the bus for white passengers.