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This Day in History (November 13): The Day America Sat Up by Sitting Down

Alright, picture this: November 13, 1956. The United States Supreme Court drops a bombshell on the Jim Crow South, saying segregation on buses is unconstitutional. It’s official—no more shoving Black people to the back of the bus in Montgomery, Alabama. Now, to us, this might sound like a “duh” moment, but in 1956? This was revolutionary. It’s the day the Court told Alabama, “Listen, the Constitution actually means what it says.”

But let’s rewind. This all started a year earlier, when Rosa Parks, a quiet seamstress, sat down and said, “I’m not moving.” It was a simple act, but it unleashed one of the most organized, stubborn, and, frankly, exhausting boycotts in American history. The Black community of Montgomery didn’t just stop riding buses; they reinvented the way they got around town. They walked, they carpooled, they rode mules and wagons like it was the Great Depression, just to say, “We’re not taking it anymore.” And they did it for 381 days.

City officials tried everything to get them back on the buses, even charging them with “disturbing the peace,” because apparently, walking is now an act of aggression. But that didn’t stop them. Led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who was just starting out as a pastor, they kept pushing, marching—literally walking a path to justice.

Finally, the boycott’s impact reaches the federal courts. A case called Browder v. Gayle goes all the way to the Supreme Court, and on November 13, the justices give their ruling. Segregation on buses violates the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. In other words, “If you bought the ticket, sit wherever the hell you want.” And on December 20, after more than a year of walking, Montgomery’s Black residents finally get back on the buses—this time, in any seat they choose.

That one ruling didn’t just change a bus route; it cracked the foundation of Jim Crow. It was the first time the federal government said, “This segregation nonsense? It’s over.” And it set the stage for the Civil Rights Movement, showing that people, when united, could force the nation’s most powerful institutions to listen.

Today, on November 13th, as we look back, we find ourselves in a nation still grappling with issues of race and rights. Racism is still around, wearing a new outfit and calling itself “Christian values,” with one hand on the Bible and one foot on the gas pedal, driving us backward. Voting rights, redistricting, education—all under attack in a bid to bring back the “good old days” that were only good if you fit a certain mold.

So, here we are, in a nation that’s still divided, where some folks would rather rewrite history than remember it. The lesson of November 13th, 1956, isn’t just about where you sit. It’s about standing up, every time, until justice takes the front seat. Because if Rosa Parks could sit down for her rights, the least we can do is stand up for ours.

Noel Schlitz
Noel Schlitz
Noel Schlitz brings decades of experience and sharp centrist insight to Political Colonoscopy, cutting through the noise with constitutional wisdom and wit. As Editor in Chief, he’s on a mission to hold power accountable and remind us what the nation was truly built for. Read Noel's full bio here.
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