The event often seen as the start of the Civil Rights Movement is the Montgomery Bus Boycott, which began in December 1955. Sparked by Rosa Parks' refusal to give up her bus seat to a white man, this pivotal act of civil disobedience ignited widespread activism against racial segregation. Led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the boycott lasted for 381 days, culminating in a Supreme Court ruling that deemed segregation on public buses unconstitutional. This event not only galvanized national attention to the civil rights struggle but also laid the foundation for further activism and significant legislative accomplishments in the 1960s.