The Life and Legacy of Rosa Parks: A Comprehensive Guide to Her Story
Rosa Parks, born on February 4, 1913, was an African-American civil rights activist who is famously known for refusing to give up her seat on a Montgomery, Alabama bus to a white man in 1955. Her act of defiance sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott, a pivotal moment in the civil rights movement.
Parks was raised in Montgomery, Alabama, and attended Alabama State College for Negroes, but she was forced to leave school to care for her ill grandmother and later for her mother. She began working as a seamstress in a department store, and it was during her work commute that she would face discrimination on the bus.
In 1955, Parks boarded the Cleveland Avenue bus and took a seat in the first row of the “colored” section. When the bus became full, the driver demanded that Parks and three other African-American passengers give up their seats to white passengers. The other passengers complied, but Parks refused. She was arrested, but her act of defiance led to a boycott of the Montgomery Bus System that lasted for over a year.
Parks’ contributions to the civil rights movement extended beyond the Montgomery Bus Boycott. She became an icon of resistance and continued her activism, working with the NAACP and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). She also fought for voter registration rights and against the death penalty.
Parks’ legacy lives on today as a symbol of bravery and resistance, and her actions continue to inspire individuals to fight for justice and equality. In 1999, she was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian honor in the United States.
Key Takeaways:
– Rosa Parks was an African-American civil rights activist who refused to give up her bus seat in Montgomery, Alabama in 1955.
– Her act of defiance sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott, a pivotal moment in the civil rights movement.
– Parks became an icon of resistance and continued her activism, working with the NAACP and the SCLC.
– Her legacy lives on today as a symbol of bravery and resistance, inspiring individuals to fight for justice and equality.
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