The Carolina Coach Company played a significant role in Black history during the era of segregation in the United States. Founded in 1927, the Carolina Coach Company was a bus transportation company that operated primarily in the southern United States. During this time, segregation laws, known as Jim Crow laws, were in effect, enforcing racial segregation in public facilities, including buses.

A pivotal moment in Black history involving the Carolina Coach Company occurred in 1947. Sarah Keys Evans, an African American woman and U.S. Army veteran, was traveling on a Carolina Coach Company bus from Fort Dix, New Jersey to her home in North Carolina. When the bus reached Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina, the driver demanded that Sarah give up her seat to a white passenger and move to the back of the bus.

Sarah refused to comply with the driver's demands, citing her rights as a U.S. Army veteran and a paying customer. The driver then stopped the bus and called the police, who forcibly removed Sarah from the bus. This incident sparked a legal battle that would eventually lead to the landmark civil rights case known as Keys v. Carolina Coach Company.

In 1955, the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) ruled in Sarah Keys' favor, declaring that segregation on interstate buses was unconstitutional. This ruling was a significant victory in the fight against segregation and marked a milestone in the civil rights movement. The decision paved the way for the integration of buses and other public transportation services, leading to greater equality and civil rights for African Americans.

The Carolina Coach Company's role in the Sarah Keys case and the broader struggle for civil rights in the United States highlights the important role that businesses and transportation companies played in challenging segregation and advancing racial equality.