Archive Record
Metadata
Title |
The Montgomery Improvement Association (MIA) Papers |
Collection |
Montgomery Improvement Association (MIA) |
Catalog Number |
1999.001 |
Object Name |
Papers, Personal |
Level of description |
Fonds/Coll |
Scope & Content |
The Montgomery Improvement Association (MIA) Papers 23 cubic boxes, 3 1/4 boxes, 1 small flat box, 2 large boxes; 32 cubic feet The Montgomery Improvement Association (MIA) collection consists of twelve cubic feet of data relating to the organization born during the Montgomery Bus Boycott. The collection contains only a few items from the boycott era. However, from the second year (1957) of the MIA existence through the 1990s, the records cover the activities of the organization. The arrest of Rosa Parks in Montgomery, Alabama on December 1, 1955 for refusing to move to the back of the bus launched the Montgomery Bus Boycott. When African American in Alabama's capital decided, at a mass meeting on the evening of December 5, 1955, to continue the one-day-old boycott of the city's segregated buses, they formed the Montgomery Improvement Association (MIA) to lead and coordinate the boycott. Martin Luther King, Jr., was elected president. Ralph D. Abernathy was elected vice president and gave the organization its name. Leaders of the black churches and civic organizations in the city made up its thirty-five member executive board. The finance and transportation committees of the MIA created a free transportation system for the ten of thousands of black people in Montgomery who were affected by the boycott. The MIA provided this service without interruption for the duration of the year long boycott, despite acts of intimidation and attempts by the city and state to close down the operation. The organization held weekly mass meetings and published "The MIA Newsletter" to keep people informed of developments. After failing to get the city to agree to limited desegregation of the buses, the MIA filed suit in federal court on February 1, 1956, challenging the constitutionality of the bus segregation ordinances. On November 13, 1956, the U. S. Supreme Court upheld the lower court's ruling that the segregation of Montgomery's buses was unconstitutional (Browder v. Gayle). This was the first major triumph of the modern Civil Rights Movement and anointed Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as the leader of the movement. After the boycott, the MIA continued to serve the black people of Montgomery in the non-violent civil rights movement it helped initiate, and it became an affiliated member of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. The organization conducted voter education project, organized annual non-violent institute workshops that grew into commemorating the anniversary of the bus boycott. The MIA established the Martin Luther King, Jr. scholarship fund and awards scholarships annually to student attending college. A voter registration committee worked with community groups to conduct voter registration drives. The organization worked on problems facing blacks in the community (police brutality, job discrimination, health care, and housing). The MIA served with various other groups of the community to address issues affecting Montgomery and Alabama. It participated on projected with the NAACP, League of Women Voters, Urban League, SCLC and others. The organization experienced its greatest success during the boycott era but has remained a viable force in the community for over forty years. |
Search Terms |
Civil Rights Civil Rights in Alabama Civil Rights in Montgomery, Alabama Civil Rights Movement Montgomery Bus Boycott Montgomery Improvement Association |
Child Records |
Box 11K - Erna A. Dungee File Box 01 - 1st & 2nd Annual Institute on Non-Violence & Social Change: 1955-1956, 1956-1957 Box 03 - Montgomery Advertisers, Montgomery Bus Boycott 45th Anniversary Invitation, National Center Program (11/30/2000) Box 04 - Various Materials Box 05 - Office Related Materials Box 06 - Programs: "Freedom & Justice Are Our Goals" Montgomery Bus Boycott 35th Anuual Celebration of the Montgomery Improvement Association Box 07 - 40th Anniversary of Montgomery Bus Boycott Press, Programs: 25th Anniversary of Montogomery Bus Boycott, Flyers: "Amazing Grace Foundation" Box 08A - Administrative File Box 08B - Financial File #1 Box 08C - Financial File #2 Box 08D - Financial File #3 Box 08E - Financial File #4 Box 08F - Financial File #5 Box 09A - Activism File Box 09B - Bulletins, Fact Sheets, Handbills, Circular File Box 09C - Highlander Folk School File Box 09D - Institute & Anniversary: File #1 Box 09E - Institute & Anniversary: File #2 Box 09F - Institute & Anniversary: File #3 Box 09G - Membership File (Box 3) Box 09H - MIA Foundation File Box 09I - Scholarship File (Box 3) Box 09J - Stationary File (Box 3) Box 10A - Acknowledgement & Contributions: File #1 Box 10B - Acknowledgement & Contributions: File #2 Box 10C - Acknowledgement & Contributions: File #3 Box 10D - Acknowledgement & Contributions: File #4 Box 10E - Acknowledgement & Contributions: File #5 Box 11A - Solomon S. Seay File Box 11B - Mass Meeting File Box 11D - Hazel Gregory File Box 11C - News Articles File Box 11E - Voter Education/Registration File Box 11F - SCLC File Box 11G - Johnnie Carr File Box 11H - Ebony Magazine/Johnson Publishing File Box 11I - Hospital & Medical File Box 11J - Housing Issues File Box 13 - Oversized & Artifacts File Box 14 - Voter Roster Cards File Box 15 - Programs: The Montgomery Bus Boycott 25th Silver Anniversary: 1955-1980 Box 16 - Office Related Materials Box 17 - Employee Records, Invoices, Programs: "40th Anniversary of Montgomery Bus Boycott: A Recommitment to the Principles of Nonviolence & Reconciliation" Box 18 - 50th Anniversary MIA Bus Boycott Folders & Guest List Box 19 - Newspaper Clippings Display of Montgomery Bus Boycott (Box 1) Box 20 - Newspaper Clippings Display of Montgomery Bus Boycott (Box 2) Box 21 - Papers Box 22 - Voices of the Boycott (Box 1) Box 23 - Voices of the Boycott (Box 2) Box 24 - Voices of the Boycott (Box 3) Box 25 - Voices of the Boycott (Box 4) Box 26 - Voices of the Boycott (Box 5) Box 27 - Touched by History Self Tour Guide Box 28 - Touched by History Self Tour Guide Box 29 Box 02 - Correspondence, Receipt, Membership Card |