Viola White

Viola White (1911–1954) was an African-American woman who lived in Montgomery, Alabama and is best known for her resistance to segregated bus laws. At 35 years old, in 1944, White was arrested for refusing to give up her seat. White's arrest occurred a decade before Rosa Parks' similar act of resistance, which is credited for starting the Montgomery Bus Boycott. White worked at Maxwell Air Force Base.

Biography

Bus incident White is best known for her 1944 act of resistance to bus segregation in Montgomery, Alabama. While riding the bus, White was ordered by the bus driver to give up her seat. When she refused, the driver threatened to physically remove her; however, she continued to refuse. The driver called the police. When police arrived, they removed her from the bus, beat her, and arrested her. She was found guilty and charged a $10 fine. With help from civil rights leader and union organizer E.D. Nixon, White submitted several appeals to her charges in the Circuit Court several times. Nixon explains, "The city of Montgomery knew they couldn't win," so they used their power to prevent the appeals from ever being placed on the court calendar.

Following White's attempts to appeal her charges, local police officers retaliated. A. A. Enger, a white police officer, kidnapped White's 16-year-old daughter, drove her to a cemetery, and raped her. During the attack, her daughter memorized the officer's license plate so she could report Enger the next day. At the time of her death, White's appeal still never made it onto the court Calendar.

Personal life Little biographical information exists on White. In the 1940 Census she reported she was born in Alabama in 1911 and received 0 years of education.

White's spouse, whose name is unknown, died prior to 1940. White had three daughters: Dorothy Williams (born 1930), Helen Mapson (born 1932), and Addie Harris (born 1935).