Marion Barry wasn’t always Washington, DC’s “Mayor For Life.” When he arrived in Washington in 1965, he was a chemistry teacher-turned-civil rights activist with SNCC, the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee.

That fall, D.C. Transit – the private company that ran the city’s bus system – proposed a 20 percent fare hike. O. Roy Chalk, D.C. Transit’s wealthy owner, cited rising labor costs as the reason for the change. But Barry and other civil rights leaders saw a money grab, which unfairly targeted the bus system’s largely low income Black clientele. Barry announced that SNCC would lead a bus boycott.

On January 24, 1966 thousands of riders stayed off D.C. Transit and successfully forced decision makers to cancel the fare increase. The boycott ushered in a new era of local activism in the District of Columbia, and established Marion Barry as a force in D.C. Through very public up and downs, he would dominate D.C. politics for the next 50 years, including four terms as mayor.

ABOUT THE SERIES
“Boundary Stones” is an animated history series from WETA which brings the rich histories of Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Northern Virginia to life. Using historic photos and archival footage, “Boundary Stones” tells the stories of the past: pivotal events, strange-but-true tales, and the myths and legends from the DMV. From Black history to unique D.C. protests, true crime to civil rights, and more — “Boundary Stones” is your home for D.C. history.

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