NYSTCE 115 – Social Studies Practice Exam 2025 - Free Social Studies Practice Questions and Study Guide

The Montgomery Bus Boycott in 1955 is frequently recognized as the commencement of the Modern Civil Rights Movement because it marked a significant turning point in the struggle for racial equality in the United States. This event was initiated by Rosa Parks' refusal to give up her bus seat to a white passenger, which led to her arrest and prompted the African American community in Montgomery, Alabama, to organize a boycott of the city’s buses. This lengthy boycott lasted over a year and demonstrated the economic power of African Americans when they united to challenge systemic discrimination.

The boycott not only galvanized activists and community leaders, including a young Martin Luther King Jr., but it also attracted national media attention to the civil rights issues facing African Americans. This event highlighted the effectiveness of nonviolent protest and the strategies that would characterize the Modern Civil Rights Movement, setting the stage for further activism and legislative changes in the years that followed.

While other events listed in the choices played crucial roles in the Civil Rights Movement, they occurred later and were part of the broader ongoing struggle rather than the initial spark that ignited widespread activism.