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 In 1932, Rosa married Raymond Parks, a barber who was deeply involved in the fight for civil rights. Together, they became active members of their community. Rosa worked as a seamstress, quietly stitching clothes during the day while working with the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) in the evenings. 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. The Montgomery Bus Boycott was a pivotal moment in the Civil Rights Movement, and Rosa Parks played a crucial role in its success. On December 1, 1955, Parks refused to give up her seat to a white passenger on a segregated bus in Montgomery, Alabama. Parks, whose refusal to give up her bus seat to a white man sparked the modern civil rights movement, died of natural causes in her Detroit home on Monday, Oct. 24, 2005. She was 92-years-old. Rosa Parks was a prominent figure in the civil rights movement, known for her pivotal role in challenging racial segregation in the United States. Her refusal to give up her bus seat to a white passenger in Montgomery, Alabama, sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott and became a catalyst for the civil rights movement. 02/03/2025 February 3, 2025. She stood up for her rights by staying seated. In the 1950s, Rosa Parks gave the US Civil Rights Movement a huge boost, and inspired Martin Luther King Jr. Who Was Rosa Parks? Like Rustin, Rosa Parks was active in the civil rights struggle before her arrest and remained active for decades after. Still, she is best known for that moment on a city bus in Montgomery, Alabama, when she demanded courtesy and respect from a system resistant to giving them. Over the years, that moment became a myth. The Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute for Self Development’s “Pathways to Freedom program, traces the underground railroad into the civil rights movement and beyond. Youth, ages 11 through 17, meet and talk with Mrs. Parks and other national leaders as they participate in educational and historical research throughout the world. King became a national civil rights leader following his support of the bus boycott inspired by Parks. Photo by Associated Press. A lifelong activist for civil rights, Rosa Parks marches at the South African Embassy in Washington on Dec. 10, 1984, in protest of South Africa’s apartheid policies. U.S. Rep. Mickey Leland, D-Texas, is behind her. Rosa Parks and the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. present the Rosa Parks Outstanding Freedom Award to Rev. James Bevel and his wife, Diane Bevel, at the Southern Christian Leadership Conference in Birmingham, Alabama, on Aug. 13, 1965. King became a national civil rights leader following his support of the bus boycott inspired by Parks. Rosa Parks was a prominent figure in the civil rights movement, known for her pivotal role in challenging racial segregation in the United States. Her refusal to give up her bus seat to a white passenger in Montgomery, Alabama, sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott and became a catalyst for the civil rights movement. The family moved to Montgomery; Rosa went to school and became a seamstress. She married barber Raymond Parks in 1932, and the couple joined the Montgomery National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). When she inspired the bus boycott, Parks had been the secretary of the local NAACP for twelve years (1943-1956). Full of colorful illustrations and age-appropriate definitions of concepts such as segregation and racism, the newly titled book, I Am Rosa Parks, allows children as young as four to grasp the importance of the civil rights movement. In 2002 CBS released the television movie The Rosa Parks Story starring Angela Bassett in the title role. The Rosa Parks and the Civil Rights Movement. Rosa Parks, a seamstress and activist, is widely recognized as the "Mother of the Civil Rights Movement" for her courageous act of defiance on a Montgomery, Alabama bus in 1955. Her refusal to give up her seat to a white man sparked a year-long bus boycott and ignited the Civil Rights Movement. 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. Rosa Parks circa 1950 “Our non-violent protest has proven to all that no intelligent right-thinking person is satisfied with less than human rights that are enjoyed by all people.” Every once in a while, one hears a right-wing demagogue in the U.S. compare themselves to Rosa Parks in defense of an unpopular position. Not only Continue reading "Beyond the Bus: The Story of Rosa Parks It is crucial to recognize that the struggle for civil rights is ongoing, and her example continues to inspire new generations to fight for justice and equality. FAQs What was Rosa Parks’s role in the civil rights movement? Rosa Parks played a crucial role in the civil rights movement by refusing to give up her seat on a segregated bus. Rosa Parks became an iconic figure in the fight against racial discrimination when she refused to give up her seat to a white passenger on a Montgomery, Alabama bus in 1955. This act of defiance was more than just a refusal to move; it was a statement against the unjust laws of segregation that plagued the American South. Her arrest was the catalyst for the Montgomery Bus Boycott, a pivotal Called "the mother of the civil rights movement," 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.
Articles and news, personal stories, interviews with experts.
Photos from events, contest for the best costume, videos from master classes.