Step two is “negotiate.”
Make sure you negotiate with those who have power to make the changes you seek. In Montgomery, Martin Luther King and other black leaders were very specific in their demands. They met with city officials in March of 1955 to negotiate seating on city buses and gave the city the chance to correct wrongs. The boycott did not begin until Rosa Parks’ arrest nine months later.
(Below: Martin Luther King speaking with President Johnson)

President Lyndon B Johnson (1908 – 1973) discusses the Voting Rights Act with civil rights campaigner Martin Luther King Jr. (1929 – 1968). The act, part of President Johnson’s ‘Great Society’ program trebled the number of black voters in the south, who had previously been hindered by racially inspired laws, 1965. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

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Mandatory Credit: Photo by REX/Everett Collection (415272cc)
Dr Martin Luther King Jnr, Washington DC – 1963
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The first Step is “Investigate.” Martin Luther King investigated thoroughly a situation before going in and trying to make changes — sometimes for a year. He investigated and learned the facts, the laws, and the personalities on both sides. He knew what he was dealing with, knew what he was talking about, and had a plan when he approached the leadership of a city or nation.

Next week: Step two