Racial segregation in public transportation has a long and complex history in the United States, particularly in the South. One of the most infamous examples of segregation in transportation was the practice of "Jim Crow" laws, which enforced racial segregation in all aspects of public life, including transportation.

Prior to the Civil Rights Movement, Black passengers were required to sit in the back of buses, trains, and streetcars, while white passengers sat in the front. In some cases, black passengers had to give up their seats to white passengers if the front of the vehicle became full.

One of the most well-known incidents related to segregation in public transportation was the Montgomery Bus Boycott in 1955, sparked by the arrest of Rosa Parks for refusing to give up her seat to a white passenger on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama. The boycott, which lasted for over a year, was a pivotal moment in the Civil Rights Movement and led to a Supreme Court ruling declaring segregation on buses unconstitutional.

The fight against segregation in public transportation was a significant part of the broader struggle for civil rights and racial equality in the United States. The eventual desegregation of public transportation marked an important victory in the ongoing fight against racial discrimination.