Final answer:
Rosa Parks' refusal to give up her seat on a bus sparked a boycott and a 'war of wills' in the South, leading to the desegregation of the bus system.
Step-by-step explanation:
Rosa Parks' action of refusing to give up her seat on a city bus in Montgomery, Alabama on December 1, 1955, sparked a 'war of wills' in the South. Her arrest and subsequent decision to fight the laws requiring segregation in court, motivated the African American community to organize a boycott of Montgomery's buses.
This boycott, which lasted for 381 days, involved black residents walking to work and school, organizing carpools, and using African American-owned taxis. The boycott put pressure on the city and eventually led to a federal court ruling that found the segregation ordinance unconstitutional, resulting in the desegregation of the bus system.