Rosa Parks

The driver watched as a petite black woman stepped up the steps and dropped her fare in the collection box. As she stepped back out of the bus to board at the back, he smirked, silently contemplating leaving without her. In a particularly jovial mood, he graciously allowed her to get on and began driving to his next stop. A few stops later, out of the corner of his eye he noticed several white people standing quietly in the center aisle. With disgust, he observed four blacks a few feet away insolently sitting down. Making a loud screech, he pulled up to a curb and stood. Walking down the aisle he yelled disdainfully, "All right, you folks, I want those seats!" For a second, nobody moved. "Y'all better make it light on yourselves and let me have those seats!" the driver bellowed. All of them quickly stood up and trooped down to stand in the back of the bus except for one person: the meek black woman he had noticed earlier. The driver repeated his order: "Look, woman, I told you I wanted the seat. Are you going to stand up?" Looking down, he reeled in surprise as he saw a steely glint of defiance in her eyes as she questioned him in a firm voice, "Why should I have to get up and stand? Why should we have to be pushed around?" (Parks). The driver, shocked at her brazen arrogance, swiftly called the police to have her taken away. This woman, Rosa Parks, who dared to stand up for herself that day on the bus, triggered one of the most important civil rights movements in American history. Born to former slaves in Alabama on February 4, 1913, she learned at an early age to stand up for herself and to never let others look down on her. She was continually exposed to strong civil rights activists, such as her grandfather and her husband Raymond Parks; they encouraged her to speak out for what she believed was right, motivating her to join the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People in 1943. Although she worked as a seamstress for most of her life, after the event on the bus she began speaking out more actively for civil rights. Throughout her life, she became acquainted with many other activists including Martin Luther King who eventually led the movement to success. Through her actions, Parks opened the door for other civil rights activists; their work eventually led to the end of racial segregation.  In President Barack Obama's words, "Rosa Parks served as an inspiration to stand up to injustice, challenging others to reflect on the values of freedom, democracy, and constitutional rights." She was a hero who overcame challenges caused simply by the color of her skin, acted courageously to fight in the face of discrimination, and showed unrelenting dedication in her struggle for equality.

Parks was forced to contend with prejudices held by whites; even so, she overcame the challenges, becoming stronger and helping others through her experiences. Living in a small southern town where racism towards blacks was dominant and lynchings were common, Parks often "[laid] in bed unable to sleep for fear that white-robed Klansmen on one of their nocturnal missions of terror would ride to her family's house and kill her and all of her relatives" (King). Throughout her childhood, Parks was forced to watch as friends and acquaintances were killed with no recompense or justice forthcoming. Despite this, she overcame her fears and a lifetime's hatred of whites, actively speaking out against civil injustice. Parks retaliated against earlier acts of violence with peace talks, encouraging other blacks not to fight back with physical force. Later on, after she was pushed into the spotlight due to her historical act of defiance that sparked an enormous civil rights movement, Parks became a target for vindictive whites. They blamed her for the movement and refused to be associated with her: "She lost her department store job and her husband was fired after his boss forbade him to talk about his wife or their legal case. Unable to find work, they eventually left Montgomery" (Biography Channel). Although Parks lost her job due to discrimination by whites, she refused to submit to the unfairness. She cast off her role as a meek, silent seamstress, and instead became a beacon of hope for the civil rights movement. Parks became a symbol for resistance against racial segregation, traveling around the country raising the spirits of weary blacks and encouraging others to fight back. Parks overcame the hatred directed at her throughout her life. She refused to accept that she was not equal to whites for something as simple as a difference of skin color, fighting against racial segregation through her actions and words.

In the face of danger and hatred, Parks courageously stood up not only for herself but the entire civil rights movement she represented. Historically, one of the most pivotal points in American history that triggered a massive revolution for racial equality began on a quiet day because of one brave woman: "The bus driver stopped the bus [for incoming white passengers] and asked the black passengers to give up their seats...but Rosa refused and remained seated.The driver called the police and had her arrested. Later, Rosa recalled that her refusal wasn't because she was physically tired, but that she was tired of giving in" (Biography Channel). On December 1, 1955, Parks did what no one would have expected her to do. She put down her foot and refused to accept any more unfair treatment at the hands of whites. She courageously stood up to a man who had previously evicted her from his bus despite knowing that there would be consequences. Parks decided that if no one would act, she would offer herself as a martyr to further the civil rights movement. In exchange, Parks received the overwhelming support of the black community, becoming one of the leading figures of the boycott and the civil rights movement. However, the consequences of this act were more far-reaching than she originally anticipated. Although Parks was bombarded with constant threats from whites, she stood fast in the face of danger: "Parks was not as easily frightened. 'Well, you have to die sometime,' she said. 'If this boycott happened to be attributed to me and my activity, and they killed me, then I would just be dead" (King). Parks remained undaunted, speaking out in public and acting without fear. Even as some of her friends and colleagues succumbed to the hatred and terror, she tenaciously continued to lead the fight for equality. Parks's actions demonstrated her courage in the face of opposition. Her willingness to stand up for others at the expense of herself clearly illustrates why she deserves the title of a hero. She displayed endless bravery and led the movement until she finally reached her goal.

            Throughout the entire campaign against racial segregation and even after, Parks displayed unrelenting dedication in her fight for civil rights. Living in an era where girls, especially black girls, did not graduate high school, Parks "...obtained her high school diploma at the age of twenty" (Lee). Parks decided to go back to school later in her life even though it was not necessary because she knew it would enhance her credibility as a civil rights activist. She was dedicated to her work, determined to do everything she could to gain support for what she believed was right. Later on, she devoted much time and energy to attending many lectures and educating herself further, resolved in her decision to obtain a more educated and sincere argument for her cause. Even after the majority of the fight had been won and blacks had finally been granted equal rights, Parks continued to raise awareness: "Rosa founded the Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute for Self-Development. The organization runs 'Pathways to Freedom' bus tours, introducing young people to important civil rights.sites throughout the country" (Biography Channel). Parks believed that the only way to prevent similar acts from ever happening in the future was to raise awareness in future generations. She dedicated the latter years of her life to raising awareness on racial equality. She was determined to enlighten others on the sacrifices and abuse blacks went through so that it would never be repeated. Through her organization, she created an everlasting edifice that honored not only her, but also all of the other people that made sacrifices in the struggle ending racial segregation. It became the endpoint of her persistent fight for equality, the culmination of all of her efforts. Parks demonstrated her unfailing dedication as a civil rights activist, never ceasing to improve herself and the people around her. She gave her all for the cause she believed in, seeking to create a world where she could live as an equal to all others.