The Montgomery Improvement Association (MIA) was a pivotal organization in the civil rights movement, particularly known for its role in the Montgomery Bus Boycott of 1955-1956. The MIA was established in December 1955 to coordinate the boycott, which was sparked by the arrest of Rosa Parks for refusing to give up her seat to a white passenger on a segregated city bus.

Under the leadership of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who served as president of the MIA, the organization mobilized the Black community in Montgomery, Alabama, to protest racial segregation and discrimination on city buses. The successful 381-day boycott not only led to the desegregation of Montgomery's bus system but also brought international attention to the civil rights movement and catapulted Dr. King to national prominence.

The Montgomery Bus Boycott is often regarded as one of the first major victories of the civil rights movement and served as a model for nonviolent resistance and organizing strategies in the years to come. The MIA's efforts in organizing and sustaining the boycott highlighted the power of collective action and paved the way for future civil rights campaigns in the United States.