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. She had grown weary of being regarded as a subordinate member of society. So, when the bus driver told her and three others to give up their seats for a white man, Rosa quietly refused. The driver threatened her, but Rosa stayed calm. She simply said, “No.” Her act of defiance wasn’t planned, but it was deliberate. Accomplishments of Rosa Parks 1. Sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott. On December 1st, 1955, Rosa Parks, an African American woman, refused to give up her bus seat to a white passenger in Montgomery, Alabama. Her act of defiance ignited the Montgomery Bus Boycott, a nonviolent protest that lasted for 381 days. The boycott was a collective effort We will also examine the intersectionality of race and gender in her life and work. Rosa Parks: The Woman Behind the Iconic Moment. Rosa Parks was born Rosa Louise McCauley in Tuskegee, Alabama on February 4, 1913. She grew up in a segregated society, attending school in Montgomery and later at the Industrial School for Girls in Montgomery. Rosa Parks smiles during a ceremony where she received the Congressional Medal of Freedom in Detroit on Nov. 28, 1999. Parks, whose refusal to give up her bus seat to a white man sparked the By refusing to give up her seat on a segregated bus, Rosa Parks is known as “the mother of the Civil Rights Movement.” Her decision sparked campaigns around the country, which eventually led to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965. Who was Rosa Parks and what did she do? Rosa Parks was born Rosa McCauley on February 4 Rosa Parks’s legacy has been honored through various awards, including the Congressional Gold Medal and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Numerous memorials and museums also commemorate her contributions to the civil rights movement. What can we learn from Rosa Parks today? Rosa Parks’s story teaches us the importance of standing up for Rosa Parks became the personal Secretary of a high-profile U.S politician (a congressman by name John Conyers). She worked in that office for approximately 20 years (from 1965 to 1988) until her retirement . While in that high office, Rosa Parks dealt with welfare issues, discrimination in the employment sector, as well as education and housing. Author H.H. Leonards discussed civil rights activist Rosa Parks and her contributions to social justice issues and other initiatives during her lifetime. Explain her experience during the 1991 Troy State University at Montgomery opened The Rosa Parks Library and Museum on the site where Mrs. Parks was arrested December 1, 1955. It opened on the 45th Anniversary of her arrest and the Montgomery Bus Boycott. “The Rosa Parks Story” was filmed in Montgomery, Alabama May 2001, an aired February 24, 2002 on the CBS television network. Mrs. Rosa Parks chose to be arrested instead of giving up her seat and became a symbol of the fight against an unjust, racist system. She was nicknamed “the first lady of civil rights” by the U.S. Congress. The Early Life And Activism Of Rosa Parks . Rosa Parks was born in 1913 (February 4), in Tuskegee, Alabama. Her maiden name was McCauley. Ella Baker . Shaw University. Ella Baker (1903-1986) Ella Josephine Baker was tireless in her pursuit of justice. From the 1930s on, Baker participated in over 30 organizations and campaigns, though her most documented and lasting impact stems from her role in the modern African American Civil Rights Movement. Students can examine many more examples of Parks’ notes and informal drafts in this online folder, and can consult other resources from the Library to spark further exploration. Related Resources. Rosa Parks Collection Articles and Essays; Rosa Parks: In her Own Words exhibition; Rosa Parks: A Resource Guide Rosa Parks was a civil rights activist who sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott by refusing to give up her seat to a white passenger on a segregated bus in Montgomery, Alabama in 1955. Her defiance launched nationwide efforts to end racial segregation of public facilities. She had been actively opposing racial injustices against African Americans since the 1930s as a member of the NAACP, working Greatness was certainly thrust upon Rosa Parks, but the modest former seamstress has found herself equal to the challenge. Known today as "the mother of the Civil Rights Movement," Parks almost single-handedly set in motion a veritable revolution in the southern United States, a revolution that would eventually secure equal treatment under the law for all black Americans. Through her dignity, determination, and unwavering commitment to justice, Rosa Parks helped transform American society. Her legacy lives on in every person who stands up for what’s right, who refuses to accept inequality, who works to build a more just world. Each time someone challenges injustice, they carry forward the spirit of Rosa Parks. Rosa Parks, with Martin Luther King Jr. USIA National Archives/Wikimedia As soon as they heard of Parks’ arrest, Women’s Political Committee leader Jo Ann Robinson and veteran trade unionist E In 1943 Rosa Parks joined the local chapter of the NAACP and was elected secretary. Two years later, she registered to vote, after twice being denied. By 1949 Parks was advisor to the local NAACP Youth Council. Under her guidance, youth members challenged the Jim Crow system by checking books out of whites-only libraries. From her early years to her impact on society, we will examine the none context of her story and how it continues to inspire and educate us today. So sit back, and join us on a journey through the life of Rosa Parks, a true pioneer for civil rights. Let us start with some background information on Rosa Parks. African Americans were being increasingly oppressed despite their native contributions to the war effort. Even after WWII and Brown vs Board of Education, African Americans still faced oppression. When Rosa Parks was arrested for sitting in the "white section" of the bus it was the final straw and the Civil Rights Movement was born.
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