The five methods of protest are boycotts, sit-ins, civil disobedience, marches and violent protesting. I found that the most effective way to protest was civil disobedience because in many cases, it sparked other types of protest. Without civil disobedience, major boycotts (Montgomery bus boycott), marches, and sit ins would not have started and ended in success.
Boycotting: peaceful protests in which people refuse to buy a specific service or product from a particular business.
- instance of success: The Baton Rouge Bus Boycott: the first bus boycott during the civil rights movement was in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, when a law was passed allowing African Americans the option of sitting in front of the bus. When bus drivers ignored and disobeyed the law, African Americans boycotted the buses for eight days. Finally, the city counsel gave African Americans the right to sit anywhere on the bus except for the front two seats, which was still reserved for whites.
Sit-ins: When protesters peacefully sit in a public place and reuse to move to make the business loose customers and money.
- instance of success: Greensboro, North Carolina, four African American college students refused to leave Woolworths Diner on the first of Feb. when the server refused to serve them. In the matter of days, it grew to the point where every inch of the diner was full of African Americas, and the diner had to shut down. On July 25th they reopened and allowed the first African American to eat there.
Civil Disobedience: Peaceful protesting in which a person refuses to follow an unjust law
- instance of success: Rosa Parks is the most popular example of civil disobedience. When asked to move from her seat on a Montgomery Bus for a white man to sit, Parks refused to move and was thrown into jail. This sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott and was forever a symbol against racial segregation to Americans. She later went on to continue activation for rights and worked along side many famous activists as well.
Marching: Nonviolent protesters gathering on streets, possibly with signs, and marching on public pathways.
- instance of success: March on Washington: In August of 1963, 200,000 Americans came together to protest that all Americans have rights. This became an important point in the movement because it helped get together protesters and persuade others to join the cause. It also was when Martin Luther King Jr. gave his famous "I Have a Dream" speech.
Violent Protesting: violently attacking the other side, usually by formed groups, to get attention to the issue.
- instance of success: The Black Panther Party was formed in California to protect Blacks from police and other Racist. They did so armed and with violence, not believing in the non-violent way, but in making a stand loudly. The original plan was to protect themselves from the Oakland Police, and about a year after the part was formed, violence in the streets of the town got intense. One of the leaders was thrown in jail and from this time on, the Black Panther Part was a popular symbol for equality within the United States.
This video contains information about how successful marches were. It also contains some little facts the average person doesn't know that are pretty cool. Thousands of people gathered to support one cause which is pretty astounding.