You're listening to Code Switch.

I'm Karen Gricksby-Bates.

Today, we're bringing you the story

behind the Montgomery bus boycott,

the lasted from December of 1955 until December of 1956.

What people often remember of that moment in history

is that when Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat,

it sparked a bus boycott that was led by Dr. Martin Luther King,

Jr.

But what that retelling leaves out are all the women

who organized for years to make that boycott a reality

and who helped sustain the boycott for 13 long months.

In today's episode, we're going to do something special.

To celebrate these women during this women's history month,

we wanted you to hear them tell their story

in their own words and their own voices.

Independent producer Barrett Golden compiled

and stitched together an audio quilt of their recordings.

You'll hear some women you might recognize,

like Rosa Parks, Carreta Scott King, and Claudette Colvin,

and the voices of a lot of other women

who aren't usually in the spotlight.

...