This is for Monday, December 5, 1955
Another Negro woman has been arrested and thrown in jail because she
refused to get up out of her seat on the bus for a white person to sit
down.
It is the second time since the Claudette Colbert case that a Negro
women has been arrested for the same thing This has to be stopped.
Negroes have rights, too, for if Negroes did not ride the buses, they
could not operate. Three-fourths of the riders are Negroes, yet we are
arrested, or have to stand over empty seats. If we do not do something
to stop these arrests, they will continue. The next time it may be you,
or your daughter, or mother.
This woman's case will come up on Monday. We are, therefore, asking
every Negro to stay off the busses Monday in protest of the arrest and
trial. Don't ride the busses to work, to town, to school, or anywhere on
Monday.
You can afford to stay out of school for one day if you have no other
way to go except by bus.
You can also afford to stay out of town for one day. If you work, take a
cab, or walk. But please, children and grown-ups, don't ride the bus at
all on Monday. Please stay off of all buses Monday.