Rosa Parks: The Montgomery Bus Boycott

Rosa Parks is a civil rights activist and is a tragic hero known for her Strength, bravery, wisdom, peace and perseverance taking a major role in the Montgomery bus boycott and standing up against oppression, She and many others stood up for their rights, She refused to surrender her seat on a segregated Montgomery Alabama city bus on the day of December 1, 1955 which began the 381 day long Montgomery Bus Boycott which then helped launch the nation wide efforts to end segregation of public facilities.

Even though Rosa Parks stood up for her rights she still suffered after the arrest. She lost her department store job and her husband was fired because he talked about Rosa’s legal case to his boss. They had to leave Montgomery because they could not find any other jobs, no one would hire her. They ended up moving to Detroit Michigan and she found a job as a secretary and receptionist in U.S. Representative John Conyers congressional office. She also started to serve on the board of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America.

Rosa Parks is one of the famous activists of civil disobedience; she has experienced the foulness of segregation all her life. She was born Rosa McCauley on February 4, 1913 in Tuskegee, Alabama. She received a poor education from a poor segregated school house, and dropped out of Alabama State Teachers College for Negroes to care for her sick grandma. She married Raymond Parks, a barber and an activist of NAACP at age 19 (Rosa).

‘’Each person must live their life as a model for others.’’ (Rosa Parks) Rosa Parks was tired of the way African Americans were poorly treated. She took a stand by not obeying a demand to give up her seat to a white passenger on a Montgomery bus. Because of her bold action she became a model to millions. Parks was an African American woman who became known for her bravery, which helped to change the nation. ‘’Parks spent most of her life fighting for desegregation, voting rights, and was active in the civil Right Movement that has changed social code in the U.S.’’(Rosa Parksfact.com). Rosa Parks is a pioneer for her brave act; her belief in equality, justice, and advancement for African American has impacted the world.

Rosa Parks was known for her unplanned act of defiance that lead to the Montgomery Bus Boycott of 1955 (Dudley 258). The attributes that she contributed to Civil Rights was her commitment to the cause, her positive attitude, and her ability to inspire others. Rosa Parks had got onto a public bus after a long day of work, and her feet were hurting, so she decided to sit in the white section. The white people complained and the bus driver told her if she did not get up, then she would be arrested. Nevertheless, with Rosa Park’s refusal to get up, it led to her arrest. Due to her commitment to the cause she stood up for racial equality, and though all of the turmoil she encountered she kept a positive attitude. Her ability to inspire others was remarkable, therefore it led to the Montgomery Bus Boycott. The boycott was due to the fact that African Americans were exasperated due to the fact that they were not being treated equally. This then led to all African Americans walking to and from wherever they were

Rosa parks was a phenomenal woman whom played a tremendous part in our history. Rosa Parks was a woman who had changed our history for the best. She was a woman of authority and because of her, our world has changed from segregation to everyone was combined no matter your race, color, or the way you looked.

“The only tired I was, was tired of giving in” (Parks). I was tired, tired of being oppressed, and tired of being stepped on by the law, and my fellow people. That was the only tired i felt. The Montgomery Bus protest sparked a fire that would be felt throughout the entire country, and it was the spark that ignited the fire of the civil rights movement that shook the world. The boycott was the first of it, once light was shown on the problem, she began travelling cross country spreading information about civil rights, and sparking more peaceful protest. Rosa Parks was an important figure that changed the direction of the United States of America. She was trying to get home from work that day, but she turned into an icon for the civil rights movement, and shined a light on the unfair treatment of african americans.

Sense Rosa Parks did not move from her seat when she was told too. After that simple action ended up to a series of events, first she got arrested for disobeying the law. Then she went to court and was found guilty and went to jail. After that there was a year long bus boycott. In an article by History.com it states that “The leaders of the local black community organized a bus boycott that began the day Parks was convicted of violating the segregation laws”(Rosa Parks). The African American community in Montgomery organised a bus boycott on the date that Parks was going to court. The African American community would not go on the bus system that day but it ended up being a year long. This was a little cause that help with desegregating the south. The bus boycott was a method used to support Rosa Parks . Many people did not have a voice, they would do what they were told because that is what they always knew. In an article by History.com states that “However, it was only by custom that bus drivers had the authority to ask a black person to give up a seat for a white rider”(Rosa Parks). Before all of this happened there was segregation almost everywhere. Back then whites got to sit in the front of the bus and blacks could sit anywhere but when a white passenger got on they had to move from there seat. So what Parks did was she did not move she said no because that is what she believed in. That is what started

“I think that she, as the mother of the new civil rights movement, has left an impact not just on the nation, but on the world," - U.S. Rep. John Conyers, "She was a real apostle of the nonviolence movement." (John Conyers, 2005, Congressional Record, V. 151, Pt. 18). Rosa Parks’ actions formed pathways for African Americans to receive equal treatment. The Civil Rights Movement was a success, however there is still a long way to go for equal rights. African Americans are still met with discrimination and prejudice.

Rosa Louise McCauley Parks is a brave African American. She inspired people across America. Rosa Parks had broken a law and refused to give up her seat to a white man. What seemed like something small impacted the whole country. Rosa Parks will be remembered well past her death day of October 24, 2005.

After a day of work at the Montgomery fair department store, she boarded the Cleveland, Avenue bus. (Pettinger, 2012) This occurred in December 1, 1955in downtown Montgomery. She along with everyone who rode that bus that day paid there fair. She sat in an empty seat in the middle row which was reserved for colored people. The bus traveled its regular routes, however all the white only seats were filled up. At that point she was demanded by the bus driver to move her seat to the back of the bus so that the white people can sit where she was sitting at. Rosa parks refused to move her seat, consequently she was arrested. She was charged even though she technically had not taken up a “white-only” seat. (Klein,

Rosa Parks was the center of one of the greatest civil rights movements in the mid-20th-century. She became an icon due to her calm refusal to give up her seat to a white man, which triggered the Montgomery Bus Boycott beginning in 1955 (Baggett, 2016). Rosa Parks acted with courage and stood up for what she believed in; paving the way for many American citizens to follow in her footsteps - or lack of footsteps. She stayed true to herself and inspired others to take similar courageous actions throughout the civil rights movement in America.

Rosa Parks was a very brave woman. For instance, Rosa has done many amazing things in her lifetime. Rosa Parks underwent challenges in her life. Rosa’s character traits helped her get through the rough times. Rosa also did a lot of jobs while she was alive.

What Rosa Parks is known for is her refusal to give up her seat on the bus to a white person. Although she faced racism/discrimination almost her whole life, Rosa and her husband both unfortunately lost their jobs due to their race. She

She had courage and pride. Parks was known for being the first brave black person to break the segregation laws. It made me think about my life choices because if I do something not right or if I think something is wrong, I would try and fix it. I would have the action and power to stand up for myself with confident just like Rosa Parks. I would not care about what society think of me. Rosa Parks is an important yet courageous woman with confident. Her confident can help me overcome any obstacles. With her confident I can stay true to myself and not let society tear me down. Staying true to yourself no matter what society has to offer nor good or bad. It can help me learn so much about myself and the society we live in today. My authentic life would be overcoming anything without letting society tell me what I can’t do and what I can do. Also the pressure to not give in even if society was cruel. If anything I would try to push myself even more and live life with freedom. The only obstacles that would get in my way would be giving up. Giving up is not one of the option, Rosa Parks standing up for herself even when she knew she had to faced the consequences. Her action gives the meaning of why I should stay true to myself. The next thing that would get in my way would be letting society tell me what to do. Also not letting me have the freedom I deserve. Rosa parks’