▁at ▁Smith ' s ▁New ▁Pil gr im ▁Bapt ist ▁Church ▁attract ed ▁additional ▁members , ▁including ▁long - time ▁AC M HR ▁corresponding ▁secretary ▁L ola ▁Hend r icks . ▁ ▁Bus ▁des eg reg ation ▁Initial ly ▁the ▁AC M HR ▁continued ▁the ▁NA AC P ' s ▁tact ics ▁of ▁fil ing ▁law su its ▁challeng ing ▁enfor cement ▁of ▁the ▁city ' s ▁seg reg ation ▁laws ▁and ▁also ▁mode led ▁itself ▁on ▁the ▁Mont gom ery ▁Im prov ement ▁Association ▁in ▁attempting ▁to ▁organ ize ▁African ▁American ▁citizens ▁for ▁boy cot ts ▁and ▁peace ful ▁demonstr ations . ▁ ▁Two ▁small ▁actions ▁preced ed ▁the ▁AC M HR ' s ▁first ▁mass ▁demonstr ation . ▁Two ▁members ▁applied ▁to ▁take ▁the ▁civil ▁service ▁exam ▁in ▁an ▁attempt ▁to ▁become ▁police ▁officers , ▁but ▁were ▁refused ▁by ▁the ▁city ' s ▁personnel ▁board . ▁The ▁AC M HR ▁spons ored ▁a ▁law suit ▁against ▁the ▁board . ▁On ▁December ▁ 2 2 , ▁ 1 9 5 6 , ▁Carl ▁and ▁Alexand ria ▁Bald win ▁tested ▁the ▁B irmingham ▁Terminal ▁Station ' s ▁comp liance ▁with ▁an ▁Inter state ▁Com merce ▁Commission ▁r uling ▁b anning ▁seg reg ation ▁among ▁inter state ▁passengers . ▁They ▁were ▁arrested ▁and ▁a ▁law suit ▁was ▁file d . ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁large ▁public ▁action ▁undert aken ▁by ▁the ▁AC M HR ▁was ▁aim ed ▁at ▁the ▁city ' s ▁seg reg ated ▁bus ▁service . ▁After ▁Brow der ▁v . ▁Gay le