[jackbill]

As for the original situation, I went a few pages deep in google and didn't find anything. I remember this being discussed on FR though so maybe it's in here somewhere.

I found this at the following:

http://www.hfmgv.org/exhibits/rosaparks/story.asp

Two other women had been arrested on buses in Montgomery before Parks and were considered by black leaders as potential clients for challenging the law. However, both were rejected because black leaders felt they would not gain white support. When she heard that the well-respected Rosa Parks had been arrested, one Montgomery African American woman exclaimed, "They've messed with the wrong one now."

The web site seemed to favor Parks, i.e. it's not an unfriendly site.

By the way, I'm finding metacrawler.com to be better than Google.

[cyborg]

thanks a lot... lots of little sidenotes in history that are indeed fascinating.