Rosa Parks (born February 4, 1913, Tuskegee, Alabama, U.S.—died October 24, 2005, Detroit, Michigan) was an American civil rights activist whose refusal to relinquish her seat on a public bus precipitated the 1955–56 Montgomery bus boycott in Alabama, which became the spark that ignited the civil rights movement in the United States. Early life Rosa Parks (1913—2005) helped initiate the civil rights movement in the United States when she refused to give up her seat to a white man on a Montgomery, Alabama bus in 1955. Her actions Rosa Parks’ early life By the time Parks famously refused to give up a seat on a segregated bus in 1955, she was a well-known figure in the struggle for racial equality. Parks’ husband, Unfortunately, Parks was forced to withdraw after her grandmother became ill. Growing up in the segregated South, Parks was frequently confronted with racial discrimination and violence. She became active in the Civil Rights Movement at a young age. Parks married a local barber by the name of Raymond Parks when she was 19. In 2022, the documentary The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks was released on Peacock; it is the first full-length documentary about Parks. [177] Also that year, a major motion film Bowl Game Armageddon was announced, which will spotlight Rosa Parks and Emmett Till leading up to the 1956 Sugar Bowl and Atlanta riots [178] [166] Rosa Parks, born in the early 20th century, emerged as a central figure in the struggle for civil rights in America. Her defiance against racial segregation on a Montgomery bus is widely celebrated, but her life’s story reflects a much broader commitment to equality and justice. They were early activists in the celebrated Scottsboro case and the Voters League in Montgomery. In 1943, she became the secretary of the Montgomery NAACP and, in 1949, its youth adviser. Under the leadership of Rosa Parks and E. D. Nixon the branch focused on voter registration and cases of racial discrimination and violence. Rosa Parks invigorated the struggle for racial equality when she refused to give up her bus seat to a white man in Montgomery, Alabama. Parks' arrest on December 1, 1955 launched the Montgomery Bus Boycott by 17,000 black citizens. A Supreme Court ruling and declining revenues forced the city to desegregate its buses thirteen months later. Rosa Parks was born Rosa Louise McCauley on February 4, 1913, in Tuskegee, Alabama, USA, to Leona and James McCauley. She belonged to a middle class family. Her father was a carpenter, while her mother was a teacher. Her parents separated and she moved to Pine Level with her mother. Rowbotham, Sheila. "Rosa Parks: Activist whose refusal to give up her bus seat ignited the US civil rights movement." The Guardian, October 25, 2005. Sullivan, Patricia. "Bus Ride Shook a Nation's Conscience." Washington Post, October 25, 2005. Theoharis, Jeanne. "The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks." Boston: Beacon Press, 2013. In 1987, she co-founded the Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute for Self-Development, promoting youth education and leadership, ensuring that her legacy as a champion for civil rights continued to inspire future generations. Personal Life: Married Life | Husband. Rosa Parks met Raymond Parks in 1932 when she was just 19 years old, and they soon Rosa Parks’s life and legacy serve as a powerful reminder of the strength of the human spirit in the face of adversity. Her courageous act of defiance not only changed her life but also ignited a movement that reshaped the fabric of American society. Rosa Parks resided in Detroit until she died at the age of ninety-two on October 24, 2005. Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Rosa Parks Biography”, Oxford, UK. www.biographyonline.net. Published 11th Feb 2012. Last updated 13th Feb 2019. Rosa Parks books . The Rebellious Life of Mrs Rosa Parks at Amazon Rosa Parks Sculpture | Gino Santa Maria / Shutterstock.com. Parks’ life is still celebrated and her efforts to create change are seen as essential in the civil rights struggle. Rosa Parks’ Early Life . Rosa Louise McCauley was born in Tuskegee, Alabama on February 4, 1913. Her mother was a teacher and her father was a carpenter. Rosa Parks, an African-American woman, overcame personal and financial hardships as a result of defying Southern U.S. segregation laws by refusing to give up her bus seat to a white passenger. She was jailed for her defiance and was soon released. She lost her job as a seamstress when her case garnered publicity, but she rose to become a Civil Rights icon. On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks sparked a revolution by simply refusing to give up her seat on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama. Her quiet defiance became a thunderous call for equality, marking a turning point in the Civil Rights Movement. Why Rosa Parks Matters. Rosa Parks wasn’t just an ordinary person; she was a symbol of resilience and bravery. Early Life. Rosa Parks, known as the “Mother of the Civil Rights Movement,” had a humble beginning. Her early life shaped her into the brave woman who stood up for justice. Family Background. Rosa Parks was born on February 4, 1913, in Tuskegee, Alabama. Her parents were James McCauley, a carpenter, and Leona McCauley, a teacher. During the course of her life, she received the President Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Gold Medal. Find out who really was Rosa Parks, what aspirations drove her, what achievements did she make, and what was her legacy. Here’s a preview of what you’ll discover in this Rosa Parks’ childhood, early life, and education Biographer Jeanne Theoharis, professor of political science at Brooklyn College of the City University of New York, describes in this article written for the Library of Congress Magazine, vol. 4 no. 2 (March-April 2015):16-18, the recently acquired Rosa Parks Papers and how they shed new light on Parks and her activism. Part 1: Her Early Life. Rosa Parks is an example of how the actions of one person can start a chain reaction of events that has far-reaching results. Her refusal to give up her seat on a city bus inspired other African-Americans to demand better treatment in all areas of their lives.
Articles and news, personal stories, interviews with experts.
Photos from events, contest for the best costume, videos from master classes.