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Discovering Boston’s Civil Rights Story1954–1958 – Urban League supported job placement programs, “stay in school program,” and vocationalguidance programs. The Urban League affiliate sought to have African-Americans hired in the city’shotels in positions other than maids, in the airline industry as mechanics, ticket agents, and as members offlight crews, and in the city’s banks and insurance companies.1959 – Red Sox promoted Elijah “Pumpsie” Green to the major league team after sustained campaign bythe NAACP, Boston Chronicle and the Ministerial Alliance.1959 – Ruth Batson, a community activist, loses her bid to be on the Boston School Committee.1960 – Boston’s Black population was 63,165, or 9.06% of the city’s total population.1960 – Boston area wide support for southern Black students participating in sit-ins grew.1960 – Boston chapter of CORE revitalized.1961 – African Descendants Freedom Movement, a group of graduate and professional students at BostonUniversity staged a demonstration when President Kennedy visited campus. ADFM members protestedthe failure of the Kennedy administration to offer protection to freedom riders.1961 – Higginson School District parents organize to express concerns about conditions at the David A.Ellis School in Roxbury.1961 – Social worker and activist Mel King ran unsuccessfully for a seat on the Boston SchoolCommittee. King would run again in 1953 and 1965.1961 – Members of CORE picketed Sears and Roebuck, urging the department store to hire its first Blacksales clerk. Campaign would be successful.1961 – Royal Bolling filed legislation to require banks to loan 40% of their mortgage money to borrowersin their communities. It did not pass.1962 – CORE waged successful campaign to have the Trailways Bus Company hire its first Black ticketagent.1962 – Boston Action Group (BAG) staged a boycott of Wonder Bread until company hired Black men asdelivery route drivers.1960–1962 – Mrs. Melnea Cass served a president of Boston NAACP. During her tenure the NAACP,working in cooperation with the Women’s Service Club, fought to improve the salaries and workcondition of Black teenagers and women who were recruited from the South to work as domestics inhomes of suburban families.1963–1968 – Kenneth Guscott elected as president of the Boston NAACP.1963 – Demonstrators marched on Boston Common in support of civil rights activities in Birmingham,Alabama.June 11, 1963 – Picket campaigns started in front of Boston School Committee headquarters.44101 Walnut Street, Watertown, MA 02472 * 617.923.9933 * www.primarysource.org