Rosa Parks

Rosa Parks sitting in front of the bus. (ellabakercenter.org (Unknown))

I remember reading about Rosa Parks in elementary school. It was her biography I read, it was a quick paragraph about her actions. Then in middle school, I read a little more information about her. She was the one who ignited the Montgomery Bus boycotts. That was the only idea that stayed in mind, up until my junior year, when I did a research project on the Civil Rights Movement. The movement started getting attention in the 1950's, but before the whole movement became the center of attention, Rosa Parks stood her feet, when she sat in front of the bus. The front of the bus was specifically for whites, and the back was for negroes. So when Parks refused to move back, she was arrested and put in jail.

A controversy rose, and a movement was sparked. By the action of one person (Rosa Parks), a huge amount of people were affected by it. Leaders rose to make a change. Martin Luther King, started the Montgomery Bus Boycotts, Huey Newton, and Bobby Seale, led the Black Panthers into action, and Malcolm X added to the contribution of these great leaders. It took time, effort, pain, tears, and hard struggles to finally achieve their goals of having equal rights, but I believe that without the audacity and choice of Rosa Parks, the Movement might have not started.

(rosaparksfacts.com (Unknown))

Rosa Parks, an African American woman, was tired of what was going on, and her attitude and courage led to change. For the simple fact that she stood up and fought for what was right, encourages me to speak up for what I believe. She is my hero, because she overcame the odds, and believed in change.