Rosa Parks, born on February 4, 1913, in Tuskegee, Alabama, played a key role in the civil rights movement in the United States. In 1955, she famously refused to give up her seat to a white man on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama, which ultimately led to the initiation of the Montgomery Bus Boycott. This boycott, led by a young Martin Luther King Jr. lasted for over a year and came to an end only when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that bus segregation was unconstitutional.
Despite facing personal challenges, such as losing her job, Parks became a symbol of dignity and strength in the effort to tear down racial segregation. Interestingly, Parks had a previous encounter with the same bus driver, James Blake, 12 years before the famous bus incident when she resisted the rule for Black people to enter the bus through the back door and was forcibly removed by Blake.
Rosa Parks grew up in Montgomery, Alabama, where her family held education in high regard. She attended high school at Alabama State Teachers’ College for Negroes’ laboratory school but had to leave early due to family responsibilities. In 1932, at the age of 19, she married Raymond Parks, a barber and active member of the NAACP. Together, they navigated the challenges of living under segregation laws in Montgomery.
Rosa Parks joined the Montgomery chapter of the NAACP in December 1943, despite initial discouragement from her husband. She took on the role of chapter secretary and collaborated closely with chapter president Edgar Daniel (E.D.) Nixon was known for advocating for Black voter registration and serving as president of the local Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters union.
On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks, then 42 years old, was arrested after refusing to give up her seat on a segregated bus in Montgomery. This event ignited the Montgomery Bus Boycott and became a pivotal moment in the civil rights movement.
In the era of segregation, certain laws in Montgomery, Alabama enforced racial divisions on public buses. The front seats were specifically reserved for white citizens, while the seats at the back were meant for Black citizens. Although one law mandated segregation, another law, which was largely ignored, prohibited asking any person, regardless of their race, to give up their seat even if there were no other available seats on the bus.
A significant incident occurred when a white man could not find a seat in the designated “white” section as all the seats were taken. The bus driver then instructed the riders in the first row of the “colored” section to stand up, effectively expanding the “white” section. While others complied, Rosa Parks did not give up her seat. Contrary to popular belief, Parks later clarified that it was not physical fatigue that led her to remain seated, but rather a deep fatigue of submitting to unjust practices.
Eventually, two police officers intervened, assessed the situation, and took Rosa Parks into custody.
During the era of segregation, certain laws in Montgomery, Alabama enforced racial divisions on public buses. The front seats were specifically reserved for white citizens, while the seats at the back were meant for Black citizens. Even though one law mandated segregation, another law, which was largely ignored, prohibited asking any person, regardless of their race, to give up their seat even if there were no other available seats on the bus.
A significant incident took place when a white man couldn’t find a seat in the designated “white” section as all the seats were taken. The bus driver then instructed the riders in the first row of the “colored” section to stand up, effectively expanding the “white” section. While others complied, Rosa Parks did not give up her seat. Contrary to popular belief, Parks later clarified that it was not physical fatigue that led her to remain seated, but rather a deep fatigue of submitting to unjust practices.
The situation escalated when two police officers intervened and took Rosa Parks into custody. However, E.D. Nixon, who had been hoping to find a courageous Black person to challenge segregation laws, saw an opportunity in Parks’ arrest. He convinced Parks, her husband, and her mother to lead the charge against segregation laws. This led to the planning of a bus boycott in Montgomery, with 35,000 flyers being distributed to inform the Black community about the planned boycott.
Rosa Parks was found guilty of violating segregation laws on December 5 and was given a suspended sentence and fined $10 plus $4 in court costs. The Black community’s participation in the boycott was larger than anticipated, leading to the formation of the Montgomery Improvement Association (MIA) to manage the boycott. Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was elected as the MIA’s president.
The boycott, which engendered anger and violence, continued to gain national and international attention. On November 13, 1956, the Supreme Court ruled bus segregation unconstitutional, leading to the end of the boycott on December 20.
After facing continued harassment and threats, Parks and her family decided to move to Detroit, where Parks became an administrative aide. Despite the hardships she faced, Parks continued to support civil rights events and causes and even established the Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute for Self-Development.
In 1999, she was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal, and when she passed away in 2005, she became the first woman to lie in honor at the U.S. Capitol.
References
- “An Act of Courage, The Arrest Records of Rosa Parks“. National Archives. August 15, 2015. Archived from the original on December 5, 2020. Retrieved December 1, 2020
- González, Juan; Amy Goodman (March 29, 2013). “The Other Rosa Parks: Now 73, Claudette Colvin Was First to Refuse Giving Up Seat on Montgomery Bus”. Democracy Now!, Pacifica Radio. Retrieved April 18, 2013
- “Commentary: Rosa Parks’ Role In The Civil Rights Movement”. Weekend Edition Sunday, NPR. June 13, 1999. Retrieved via ProQuest
- Theoharis, Jeanne (December 1, 2015). “How History Got Rosa Parks Wrong”. The Washington Post. Archived from the original on October 5, 2016. Retrieved September 12, 2016
- Gilmore, Kim. “Remembering Rosa Parks on Her 100th Birthday”. Biography.com, A&E Television Networks. Archived from the original on December 11, 2019. Retrieved December 11, 2019
- “Rosa Parks”. The New York Times. Archived from the original on January 26, 2022. Retrieved February 23, 2022
- Shraff, Anne (2005). Rosa Parks: Tired of Giving In. Enslow. ISBN 978-0-7660-2463-2
- Theoharis, Jeanne (2013). The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks. Beacon Press. ISBN 978-0807076927. Retrieved July 19, 2016
