Sarah Keys Evans was a pioneering civil rights activist known for her role in desegregating interstate buses in the United States. In 1952, Keys, a Black army private, was traveling home to North Carolina from New Jersey on a Trailways bus. When the bus arrived in Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina, the driver demanded that Keys move to the back of the bus to make room for a white Marine. Keys, who was in uniform and refused to give up her seat, was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct.

Keys fought the charges with the help of the NAACP and ultimately took her case to court. In the landmark case, Sarah Keys v. Carolina Coach Company, Keys challenged the legality of segregating interstate buses based on race. In 1955, the Interstate Commerce Commission ruled in her favor, stating that segregation on interstate buses was illegal. This decision laid the groundwork for the famous Montgomery Bus Boycott and the larger civil rights movement.

Sarah Keys' courageous stand against segregation helped pave the way for the eventual desegregation of public transportation in the United States. Her bravery and determination in the face of injustice are a testament to the resilience and courage of Black Americans in the fight for civil rights.