Rosa Parks

Rosa Parks riding a Montgomery bus immediately following the decision to desegregate buses. Photo: New York World-Telegram & Sun Collection, SUBJ/GEOG. Public Domain via US Library of Congress (https://www.loc.gov/rr/print/list/083_afr.html#ParksR )

A petite, black woman perches at the edge of her seat, gazing out the Montgomery bus window through her wide-rimmed glasses. She is accompanied by three black men riding in the middle section alongside her. Suddenly, the bus lurches to a stop as several white men climb aboard. As there is no space in the front left for them to sit, they halt in front of the middle section, waiting for the four black citizens to give up their seats to them. The other three move, but the woman does not. The driver walks over and demands, "Why don't you stand up?" to which she replies, "I don't think I should have to stand up" ("Rosa Parks." Biography.com). Who would have known that the seemingly defenseless woman was Rosa Parks, an extraordinary citizen who would revolutionize the Jim Crow laws and spark a national debate on the issue of segregation, simply through one nonviolent action. Born in Tuskegee, Alabama, her parents separated at an early stage in the marriage. Parks grew up with her maternal grandparents, her single mother, and a younger brother. As she had witnessed first-hand forms of hate for her race as a child, Parks became a full-time activist and secretary in Montgomery, Alabama under the NAACP, or the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. She unknowingly redefined the roles and jobs of women, and she became a renowned face of the Civil Rights Movement. Parks' ambitious nature for actively pursuing equality for all Americans and her courageous actions for diligently leading the country toward that goal made her a heroine and inspiration for generations to come.

Parks' ambitious nature kept her motivated and committed to striving for the future America she envisioned. After deciding to become an activist for life, Rosa Parks took a class that would assist her in her communication with people: "During the summer of 1955, Parks accepted a scholarship for a workshop for community leaders on school integration at the Highlander Folk School in Tennessee. It was an important experience for Parks. She learned the practical skills of organizing and mobilizing and experienced harmony among black and white people that motivated her activism for years to come" (Benson et.al). Rosa Parks went out of her way to actively join an organization. This move would prove essential in the future when working full time as a righteous activist. Rosa Parks, mourning her husband's loss, decided to found an organization in his remembrance for the good of the nation: "In 1987 Parks co-founded the Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute for Self-Development. The group sponsored several programs to educate about the Civil Rights Movement. Despite her fame, she still suffered. In 1994 she was mugged by a 28-year-old man for $53 in her own home. Despite such setbacks, Parks received many honors for her life, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1996 and the Congressional Medal of Honor in 1999" ("Rosa Parks." Newsmakers). Despite the troubles and bumps life brought, Parks maneuvered through with her headstrong actions. For the betterment and education of the community, she founded a institution under her and her husband's name for generations to come. Diagnosed with dementia, Rosa Parks continued to ensure that the future generations were on the right track for the brighter future of America: "Even in the last years of her life, Parks made numerous appearances at various events and commemorations. On October 24, 2005, Parks died in her Detroit home at the age of 92. Parks was granted the rare posthumous honor of lying in state in the Capitol Rotunda-an honor traditionally reserved for American presidents. Following her death, congressmen passed a bill to place a statue of the civil rights legend in National Statuary Hall, which features statues donated by individual states to honor important historical figures" ("Rosa Parks." UXL Biographies). The older Parks became, the harder she fought to maintain peace and equality within the nation. At times, she was engrossed in her activities so much that she barely remembered to put her own health first. Rosa Parks' motivation came from within her and enabled her to carry out unimaginable acts in her community.

Booking photo of Parks  Source: Alabama Department of Archives and History -- https://web.archive.org/web/20090316173821/

Instead of accepting the prejudiced rules and laws for what they were, Parks defied them with her courageous actions. Rosa Parks was feeling both mentally and physically tired on December 1, 1955: "When the white section filled, she was asked to yield her seat to a white passenger. Parks refused. The bus driver threatened to have her arrested, [but] she remained where she was. He stopped the bus and Parks was arrested" (Benson et.al). In times when living as a black person and a woman were harsh, Rosa Parks kept her calm when asked to leave. She demonstrated exceptional courage in adhering to her principles in desperate times. After experiencing arrest and sparking the Montgomery Bus Boycott, Rosa Parks continued to disobey the Jim Crow Laws: "In 1955, Parks was forty-two years old, and she had taken to protesting segregation in her own quiet way-for instance, by walking up the stairs of a building rather than riding in an elevator marked 'blacks only.' She was well respected in the African American community for her work with the Montgomery Voters League and the NAACP [organization]" (Benson et.al). Rosa Parks rebelled in both minute and conspicuous ways against the Jim Crow laws as an adult. Minute actions, such as choosing to walk the stairs, gave rise to the enormous pathway of freedom for black people. Opposing the Jim Crow laws was first done individually, then as a group, and, finally, a nation: "With the guidance of civil rights lawyers, she helped challenge the laws that allowed such segregation. The incident sparked a 13-month boycott of the buses in Montgomery by African Americans organized by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Montgomery Improvement Association. In 1956 the Supreme Court declared this type of segregation illegal" ("Rosa Parks." Newsmakers). Rosa Parks committed an illegal act during times that were tough on black people and women. However, the action wasn't carried out at random, as she intended for Martin Luther King Jr. to lead the 13-month boycott and spark a national debate. Rosa Parks' brave actions took willpower and strength, and changed millions of black lives around the country for the better.

Parks was a woman who epitomized the profound morals she followed. Always looking forward in her life, she never lost hope and became a symbol of ambition and courage for the McCauleys and the Americans. Parks knew the ideal scenario she had imagined would never become the face of reality. However, the progress that had sprung from her actions on the fateful day of December 1st, 1955, continued to resonate and motivate Parks to educate the younger generation about morals and activism. Rosa Parks was a woman who taught the profound morals she followed thoroughly to the younger generation of her family. The peace and tranquility in her childhood didn't stop Parks from becoming one of the most inspirational activists fighting peacefully for freedom from segregation: "For most of her childhood, [Parks] lived with her mother, brother, and grandparents in Pine Level, Alabama. Her mother and grandparents worked hard to provide her with the necessities of life while attempting to shield her from the harsh realities of racial segregation" (Benson, Sonia et.al). Even when hidden from the reality of segretation in her society, her family and relatives could not keep the adventurous and free-spirited Parks from seeing the cruelty in the Jim Crow laws, and changing millions of blacks' lives for the better through minute and conspicuous ways as an adult. Rosa Parks hoped that generations to come would imitate her in viewing flaws and protesting wrong actions in an active but peaceful manner. Her dreams are coming true as people in the world, not just America, continue to face and fight an upward battle each day against the twisted and wretched laws of society, eventually hoping to claim victory and change lives as Mrs. Parks once did. Uttering a simple "no" changed the face of America and granted humanity to millions of black lives. A new law was established because of an ordinary moral citizen who was standing up for her rights. She didn't want to carry out the action for fame and power. She merely wanted to reveal the obvious flaw in the "American system." 

Works Cited

Benson, Sonia, et al. "Parks, Rosa." UXL Encyclopedia of U.S. History, vol. 6, UXL, 2009, pp. 1200-1202. Gale Virtual Reference Library, https://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=GVRL&sw=w&u=powa9245&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CCX348900470&it=r&asid=3e4b5f5bec6171b0f8388cb1597e756e. Accessed 12 Jan. 2017. 

"Rosa Parks." Biography.com, A&E Networks Television, 18 Feb. 2016,
https://www.biography.com/people/rosa-parks-9433715#montgomery-bus-boycott.

"Rosa Parks." Newsmakers, Gale, 2007. Biography in Context,
https://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/K1618004436/BIC1?u=powa9245&xid=5e35d645. Accessed 18 Jan. 2017.

"Rosa Parks." UXL Biographies, UXL, 2011. Student Resources in Context,
https://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/EJ2108101769/SUIC?u=powa9245&xid=70d2ad4b. Accessed 17 Jan. 2017.