Rosa Louise McCauley Parks (February 4, 1913 – October 24, 2005) was an American activist in the civil rights movement, best known for her pivotal role in the Montgomery bus boycott. The United States Congress has honored her as "the first lady of civil rights" and "the mother of the freedom movement". Parks became an NAACP activist in 1943, participating in several high-profile civil rights 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 was born Rosa Louise McCauley in Tuskegee, Alabama, on February 4, 1913, to Leona (née Edwards), a teacher, and James McCauley, a carpenter.In addition to African ancestry, one of Parks's great-grandfathers was Scots-Irish, and one of her great-grandmothers was a part–Native American slave. California and Missouri commemorate Rosa Parks Day on her birthday February 4, while Ohio and Oregon commemorate the occasion on the anniversary of the day she was arrested, December 1. Rosa Parks was born Rosa Louise McCauley in Tuskegee, Alabama, on February 4, 1913, to Leona (née Edwards), a teacher, and James McCauley, a carpenter. The Rosa Parks Collection is housed in the Manuscript Division, on loan to the Library for 10 years from the Howard G. Buffett Foundation. Following her act of bravery on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama, in 1955, Rosa Parks and her husband moved to Detroit in 1957, where Parks largely disappeared from public view. Parks had no children, but her brother, Sylvester J McCauley, and his wife had 13 sons and daughters, all of whom are still living. Most of them are locals of Michigan or Alabama. According to family members, she assisted in their upbringing, as reported by Wall Street Journal. Sheila McCauley was Rosa Parks' eighth niece. Rosa Parks, a figurehead for equality, not only shaped a nation but also nurtured the generations within her own family tree. Key Influential Ancestors. Someone in Rosa Parks’ lineage who stood as a beacon of strength and perseverance was her paternal grandfather, Anderson McCauley, a former slave who became a successful Alabama farmer. The first Monday after February 4th is Rosa Parks Day in Michigan. A museum and library was opened in her honor in Montgomery, Alabama. Sources . ↑ 1.0 1.1 Wikipedia contributors, "Rosa Parks," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, Wikipedia: Rosa Parks (accessed December 22, 2016). Title Rosa Parks Papers: Family Papers, 1900-2005; Other family papers; Lists of family members, 1988, undated; Names Parks, Rosa, 1913-2005. Genealogy for Rosa Louise Parks (McCauley) (1913 - 2005) family tree on Geni, with over 255 million profiles of ancestors and living relatives. People Projects Discussions Surnames In 2001, the city of Grand Rapids, Michigan, consecrated Rosa Parks Circle, a 3.5-acre park designed by architect Maya Lin, who is best known for designing the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington. Who is Rosa Parks? Rosa Parks, born Rosa Louise McCauley on February 4, 1913, in Tuskegee, Alabama, is celebrated as a pivotal figure in the American civil rights movement. Her most notable act of defiance occurred on December 1, 1955, when she refused to yield her bus seat to a white passenger in Montgomery, Alabama. When Rosa passed away on October 24, 2005, at the age of 92, people around the world mourned her loss. Her body lay in honor in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda, an honor reserved for only a few great Americans. Why Rosa Parks Matters. Rosa Parks’ story is a reminder that courage doesn’t always come with loud speeches or grand gestures. Today, Rosa Parks’ family members actively participate in educational initiatives, public speaking engagements, and community events that commemorate her life. They strive to ensure that Rosa’s contributions to the Civil Rights Movement are not forgotten and that future generations continue to learn from her example. In 1980, following the deaths of her husband (1977), brother (1977) and mother (1979), Parks, along with The Detroit News, and the Detroit Public school system, founded the Rosa L. Parks Scholarship Foundation. Parks also co-founded, with Elaine Steele, the Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute for Self Development in 1987. 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. and the family ROSA LOUISE PARKS BIOGRAPHY. Rosa Louise Parks was nationally recognized as the “mother of the modern day civil rights movement” in America. Her refusal to surrender her seat to a white male passenger on a Montgomery, Alabama bus, December 1, 1955, triggered a wave of protest December 5, 1955 that reverberated throughout the United States. Early Life and Family. Parks was born Rosa Louise McCauley on February 4, 1913, in Tuskegee, Alabama. Her parents, James and Leona McCauley, separated when Parks was two. Parks’ mother moved the family to Pine Level, Alabama, to live with her parents, Rose and Sylvester Edwards. Rosa married Raymond Parks in 1932; he was an NAACP member and a barber. Their marriage lasted until his death in 1977, but they remained childless. Rosa became actively involved in the civil rights movement after joining the NAACP in December 1943, eventually serving as the secretary for the Montgomery chapter. Who is Rosa Parks brother? Sylvester McCauley Rosa Parks/Brothers Sylvester James McCauley, Rosa’s only sibling, was born on August 20, 1915, in Pine Level, Alabama. When their mother became seriously ill, Sylvester left school to help support the family.
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