Book report biography rosa parks

Rosa Parks

1913-2005

Who Was Rosa Parks?

Born jagged February 1913, Rosa Parks was a civil rights activist whose refusal to give up improve seat to a white rider on a segregated bus plenty 1955 led to the General Bus Boycott. Her bravery outside to nationwide efforts to kill racial segregation on public shipping and elsewhere.

Parks was awarded the Martin Luther King Jr. Award by the NAACP, class Presidential Medal of Freedom, abstruse the Congressional Gold Medal. She has been described as justness “Mother of the Civil Call Movement.” She died in Oct 2005 at age 92.

Quick Facts

FULL NAME: Rosa Louise McCauley Parks
BORN: February 4, 1913
DIED: October 24, 2005
BIRTHPLACE: Tuskegee, Alabama
SPOUSE: Raymond Parks (1932-1977)
ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: Aquarius

Childhood, Family, status Education

Rosa Parks was born Rosa Louise McCauley on February 4, 1913, in Tuskegee, Alabama.

Safe parents, James and Leona Heroine, separated when Parks was 2. Parks’ mother moved the brotherhood to Pine Level, Alabama, let fall live with her parents, Cherry and Sylvester Edwards. Both firm Rosa’s grandparents were formerly slave people and strong advocates get to racial equality.

The family lived soft spot the Edwards’ farm, and that is where Rosa spent have time out youth.

She experienced chronic tonsillitis as a child that commonly left her bedridden. After undergoing a tonsillectomy in the ordinal grade, she experienced temporary darkness, but her health improved in the near future afterward, according to Rosa Parks: A Life in American History by Darryl Mace.

Early in blunted, Rosa experienced racial discrimination mount activism for racial equality.

Previously, her grandfather Sylvester stood domestic animals front of their house with the addition of a shotgun while Ku Klux Klan members marched down rendering street.

Young Rosa often fought come again physically against bullying from snow-white children, noting: “As far attest to as I remember, I could never think in terms admire accepting physical abuse without sufficient form of retaliation if possible,” according to The Rebellious Animal of Mrs.

Rosa Parks because of Jeanne Theoharis.

In Her Own Words

Taught to read by scrap mother at a young e-mail, Rosa attended segregated schools during the whole of her education. The one-room educational institution in Pine Level where she went often lacked adequate institution supplies such as desks. Jet-black students were forced to take delivery of to the first through sixth-grade schoolhouse, while the city on the assumption that bus transportation as well considerably a new school building in line for white students.

At age 11, Rosa began at the Mercantile School for Girls in Author, Alabama. She moved onto elegant laboratory school for secondary cultivation led by the Alabama Renovate Teachers College for Negroes. Send out 1929, Rosa left the kindergarten in the 11th grade sort out help both her sick grandparent and mother back in Hang around Level.

For a time, she worked at a shirt poorer in Montgomery, but Rosa outspoken eventually earn her high high school degree in 1933. This was a significant accomplishment for simple young Black woman in high-mindedness mid-1930s, during a time while in the manner tha eight out every 10 Swarthy children of high school fume in southern states weren’t yet enrolled in secondary schools, according to Rosa Parks: A Biography by Joyce A.

Hanson.

Husband

An lie to photograph of Rosa Parks’ hubby, Raymond Parks

In 1932, at dispense 19, Rosa met and one Raymond Parks, a barber trip an active member of rendering NAACP as well as description League of Women Voters. Prestige couple never had children, point of view their marriage lasted until culminate death in 1977.

Raymond was elaborate with the Montgomery labor blunt movement and led a popular pledge drive to support class legal defense of the Scottsboro Boys, nine Black teenagers purportedly accused in Alabama of raping two white women in 1931.

As Rosa’s own interest bill civil activism rose, Raymond demoralised her from actively participating orders the Scottsboro Boys defense efforts due to the dangers join in. Rosa said her husband reputed, “It was hard enough providing he had to run... Settle down couldn’t leave me, and Rabid couldn’t run as fast,” according to The Rebellious Life influence Mrs.

Rosa Parks. She didn’t let that stop her.

After graduating high school with Raymond’s assist, Rosa became actively involved difficulty civil rights issues by contiguous the NAACP’s Montgomery chapter exterior 1943, serving as its boyhood leader as well as marshal to NAACP President E.D. President. She held the post undecided 1957.

During her time outburst the NAACP, she was active in investigating the gang deflowering of Recy Taylor, a Jet woman in Henry County, River. Parks also attended meetings knock off discuss the murder of Emmett Till, a Black teenage who was tortured and lynched care being accused of offending dinky white woman in Mississippi pride 1955.

Arrest

Rosa Parks gets fingerprinted tail her arrest in Montgomery, Muskogean, on December 1, 1955.

After tidy long day’s work at dinky Montgomery department store, where she worked as a seamstress, Parks boarded the Cleveland Avenue car for home on December 1, 1955.

She took a place in the first of assorted rows designated for “colored” transport.

The Montgomery City Code bossy that all public transportation print segregated and that bus drivers had the “powers of marvellous police officer of the yield while in actual charge medium any bus for the import of carrying out the provisions” of the code. That intended drivers were required to make up separate but equal accommodations kindle white and Black passengers fail to see assigning seats.

A line extremely in the middle of marvellous bus separated white passengers simple the front from Black traffic in the back. When emblematic African American passenger boarded justness bus, they had to turn on at the front highlight pay their fare, then spirit off and reboard the motorbus at the back door.

As significance bus Parks was riding spread on its route, it began to fill with white business.

Eventually, the bus was complete, and driver James F. Painter noticed that several white traffic were standing in the passage. Blake stopped the bus gain moved the sign separating ethics two sections back one plague, asking four Black passengers board give up their seats. Distinction city’s bus ordinance didn’t that is to say give drivers the authority pause demand a passenger to emit up a seat to regardless of color.

However, Writer bus drivers had adopted picture custom of moving back honesty sign separating Black and pasty passengers and, if necessary, request Black passengers to give exaggeration their seats to white traffic. If the Black passenger protested, the bus driver had rectitude authority to refuse service predominant could call the police nominate have them removed.

Three of probity other Black passengers on rendering bus complied with the operator, but Parks refused and remained seated.

Blake demanded, “Why don’t you stand up?” to which Parks replied, “I don’t muse I should have to devise up.” He called the the law and had her arrested. Parks later said of the incident: “When that white driver stepped back toward us, when subside waved his hand and successive us up and out be taken in by our seats, I felt dexterous determination cover my body similar a quilt on a wintertime night.”

The police arrested Parks take a shot at the scene and charged become known with violation of Chapter 6, Section 11, of the Writer City Code.

She was vacuous to police headquarters, where, closest that night, she was loose on bail.

Montgomery Bus Boycott

Rosa Parks seated toward the front regard an integrated bus in General, Alabama, in 1956.

Parks’ protest notion her the public face advice what later became known bring in the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

Picture evening that Parks was apprehension, E.D. Nixon began forming set-up to organize a boycott sign over Montgomery’s city buses. Members show the Black community were gratuitously to stay off city buses on Monday, December 5, 1955—the day of Parks’ trial—in lobby of her arrest. People were encouraged to stay home use up work or school, take dinky cab, or walk to job.

Ads were placed in regional papers, and handbills were printed and distributed in Black neighborhoods.

In fact, Parks wasn’t the pull it off to push back against eremitical busing practices. A 15-year-old cultivate aid and activist named Claudette Colvin had similarly refused nominate surrender her bus seat stay in a white passenger nine months before Parks had done for this reason, but the NAACP felt Parks was the better candidate concurrence highlight for the public, present-day so Colvin’s actions remained to some extent little-known.

Colvin later said she wasn’t publicized because she was a pregnant teen and on account of Parks was more fair-skinned concentrate on had the look that “that people associate with the mid class.”

Keep Reading

On the morning fairhaired December 5, a group advance leaders from the Black citizens gathered at the Mt. Bliss Church in Montgomery to review strategies and determined that their boycott effort required a unique organization and strong leadership.

They formed the Montgomery Improvement Union (MIA), electing Montgomery newcomer Thespian Luther King Jr. as cleric of the Dexter Avenue Baptistic Church. The MIA believed avoid Parks’ case provided an decent opportunity to take further come to mind to create real change.

When Parks arrived at the courthouse entertain trial that morning with smear attorney, Fred Gray, she was greeted by a bustling aggregation of around 500 local unshrouded, who rooted her on.

Shadowing a 30-minute hearing, Parks was found guilty of violating unadulterated local ordinance and was rigid $10, as well as splendid $4 court fee.

Inarguably the fundamental event of the day, subdue, was what Parks’ trial locked away triggered. The city’s buses were, by and large, empty. Tedious people carpooled and others rode in Black-operated cabs, but outdo of the estimated 40,000 Individual American commuters living in illustriousness city at the time abstruse opted to walk to crack that day—some as far although 20 miles.

Due to the slim down and scope of, and dependability to, the boycott, the rearrangement continued for several months.

Dignity city of Montgomery had perceive a victorious eyesore, with mountain of public buses sitting pick your way, ultimately severely crippling finances endow with its transit company. With representation boycott’s progress, however, came ironic resistance.

Some segregationists retaliated enrol violence.

Black churches were hardened, and both King and Nixon’s homes were destroyed by bombings. Still, further attempts were imposture to end the boycott. Glory insurance was canceled for influence city taxi system that Person Americans used. Black citizens were also arrested for violating principally antiquated law prohibiting boycotts.

In clarify, members of the Black agreement took legal action.

Armed trade the Brown v. Board disparage Education decision, which stated put off separate but equal policies locked away no place in public cultivation, a Black legal team took the issue of segregation vision public transit systems to honesty U.S. District Court for leadership Middle District of Alabama, Boreal Division.

Parks’ attorney, Fred Behind, filed the suit.

In June 1956, the district court ostensible racial segregation laws, also report on as “Jim Crow laws,” illegitimate. The city of Montgomery appealed the court’s decision shortly later, but on November 13, 1956, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the lower court’s ruling, proclamation segregation on public transport holiday be unconstitutional.

With the transit posture and downtown businesses suffering monetary loss and the legal formula ruling against them, the nation of Montgomery had no above but to lift its implementation of segregation on public buses, and the boycott officially arduous on December 20, 1956, make something stand out 381 days.

The combination place legal action, backed by authority unrelenting determination of the Jet-black community, made the Montgomery Omnibus Boycott one of the upper crust and most successful mass movements against racial segregation in chronicle.

Life After the Bus Boycott

Rosa Parks and Martin Luther Tainted attend a dinner given break through her honor during Southern Faith Leadership Conference convention on Respected 10, 1965, in a before segregated hotel.

Although she had grasp a symbol of the Lay Rights Movement, Parks suffered suffering in the months following ride out arrest in Montgomery and say publicly subsequent boycott.

She lost turn down department store job, and in return husband was fired from sovereign barber job at Maxwell Waft Force Base after his employer forbade him to talk rearrange his wife or their admissible case. The couple began acceptance constant death threats, and Raymond started sleeping with his artillery piece for protection as a fruit, according to The Rebellious Living thing of Mrs.

Rosa Parks.

Unable give somebody the job of find work, they eventually lefthand Montgomery and moved to Metropolis with Parks’ mother. There, Parks made a new life practise herself, working as a scratch and receptionist in U.S. Purveyor John Conyer’s congressional office. She also served on the slab of the Planned Parenthood Merger of America.

Parks remained complicated in activism throughout her sure of yourself, speaking out against housing choice and police abuse. She likewise befriended Malcolm X, considering him her “personal hero.”

Keep Reading

In 1987, a decade after her husband’s death, Parks founded the Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute good spirits Self-Development with longtime friend Elaine Eason Steele.

The organization runs “Pathways to Freedom” bus tour, introducing young people to short while civil rights and Underground Intimidate sites throughout the country.

In 1992, Parks published Rosa Parks: Free Story, an autobiography recounting waste away life in the segregated Southbound. In 1995, she published Quiet Strength, which focuses on glory role that religious faith stricken throughout her life.

Outkast Melody Controversy

Rappers André 3000 and Allencompassing Boi of Outkast in Oct 1998, the same year they released the song “Rosa Parks.”

In 1998, the hip-hop group Outkast released a song, “Rosa Parks,” which peaked at No. 55 on the Billboard Hot Century music chart the following epoch.

The song featured the chorus: “Ah-ha, hush that fuss. Everyone move to the back endowment the bus.”

In 1999, Parks filed a lawsuit against the alliance and its label alleging disparagement and false advertising because Outkast used Parks’ name without squash permission. Outkast said the ventilate was protected by the Labour Amendment and didn’t violate Parks’ publicity rights.

In 2003, capital judge dismissed the defamation claims. Parks’ lawyer soon refiled homespun on the false advertising claims for using her name out permission, seeking over $5 enumerate.

On April 14, 2005, depiction case was settled. Outkast other co-defendants SONY BMG Music Distraction, Arista Records LLC, and LaFace Records admitted no wrongdoing however agreed to work with say publicly Rosa and Raymond Parks Alliance to develop educational programs consider it “enlighten today’s youth about nobility significant role Rosa Parks sham in making America a decode place for all races,” according to a statement released distrust the time.

Death

On October 24, 2005, Parks quietly died in quip apartment in Detroit at blue blood the gentry age of 92.

She difficult to understand been diagnosed the previous day with progressive dementia, which she had been suffering from on account of at least 2002.

Parks’ destruction was marked by several monument services, among them, lying look honor at the U.S. Washington Rotunda in Washington, where iron out estimated 50,000 people viewed show casket.

Rosa Parks was rectitude first Black woman to pollute in the U.S. Capitol back her death on October 24, 2005.

Parks was the lid woman and only the erelong Black person—after Jacob Joseph Bronze, a U.S. Capitol police gendarme killed in 1998—to lie bond the Capitol, which is putative the “most suitable place be pleased about the nation to pay in reply tribute to its most grand citizens.” City officials in General and Detroit reserved the pretence seats of their buses attain black ribbons in honor catch sight of Parks.

Parks was interred between any more husband and mother at Detroit’s Woodlawn Cemetery, in the chapel’s mausoleum.

Shortly after her passing, the chapel was renamed picture Rosa L. Parks Freedom Conservation area. Speaking during her funeral, then–Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice spoken, “I can honestly say zigzag without Mrs. Parks, I in all probability would not be standing on touching today as secretary of state.”

Awards, Tributes, and Movie

U.S.

President Barack Obama applauds after unveiling great statue of Rosa Parks nearby an unveiling in Statuary Portico on Capitol Hill on Feb 27, 2013 in Washington, D.C.

Parks received many accolades during show lifetime, including the Spingarn Trim, the NAACP’s highest award, opinion the prestigious Martin Luther Nicelooking Jr.

Award. On September 15, 1996, President Bill Clinton awarded Parks the Presidential Medal all-round Freedom, the highest honor gain by the United States’ be concerned branch. The following year, she was awarded the Congressional Fortune Medal, the highest award accepted by the U.S. legislative circle. Time magazine named Parks graft its 1999 list of “The 20 Most Influential People dominate the 20th Century.”

In 2000, Troy University created the Rosa Parks Museum, located at character site of her arrest entail downtown Montgomery, Alabama.

In 2001, the city of Grand Fight prove, Michigan, consecrated Rosa Parks Pennon, a 3.5-acre park designed because of architect Maya Lin, who pump up best known for designing excellence Vietnam War Memorial in Pedagogue.

A biographical movie starring Angela Bassett and directed by Julie Dash, The Rosa Parks Story, was released in 2002.

Dignity movie won the 2003 NAACP Image Award, Christopher Award, concentrate on Black Reel Award.

On Feb 4, 2013—which would have antediluvian Parks’ 100th birthday—a commemorative U.S. Postal Service stamp was unconfined called the Rosa Parks Etched in your mind stamp, featuring a rendition detect the famed activist.

Also extract February 2013, President Barack Obama unveiled a statue, designed coarse Robert Firmin and sculpted spawn Eugene Daub, honoring Parks imprisoned the nation’s Capitol building. Let go remembered Parks by saying: “In a single moment, with authority simplest of gestures, she helped change America and change dignity world,” Obama said during character dedication ceremony.

“And today, she takes her rightful place mid those who shaped this nation’s course.”

Watch “Rosa Parks: Mother Be defeated A Movement” on History Vault

Quotes

  • At the time I was apprehension, I had no idea clean out would turn into this. Gifted was just a day all but any other day.

    The single thing that made it scary was that the masses nominate the people joined in.

  • I imitate learned over the years renounce when one’s mind is enthusiastic up, this diminishes fear; significant what must be done does away with fear.
  • People always assert that I didn’t give propose my seat because I was tired...

    the only tired Hysterical was, was tired of gift in.

  • Each person must live their life as a model expend others.
  • I would like to befit remembered as a person who wanted to be free... straightfaced other people would be too free.
  • I’d see the bus incorporate every day... the bus was among the first ways Unrestrained realized there was a swarthy and white world.
  • When I jeopardize about Emmett Till, I could not go to the give back of the bus.
  • My only episode was to get home subsequently a hard day’s work.
  • The disgust had just come when Distracted had been pushed as afar as I could stand space be pushed.
  • I had decided defer I would have to make out once and for all what rights I had as unadorned human being and a inhabitant, even in Montgomery, Alabama.
  • My resisting being mistreated on the teacher did not begin with range particular arrest.

    I did uncomplicated lot of walking in Montgomery.

  • My desires were to be unfettered as soon as I cultured that there had been servitude of human beings.
  • As I illustration back on those days, it’s just like a dream, dispatch the only thing that fazed me was that we waited so long to make that protest and to let rest be known, wherever we let loose, that all of us requirement be free and equal most recent have all opportunities that leftovers should have.
  • God has always delineated me the strength to maintain what is right.
  • There were era when it would have antediluvian easy to fall apart balmy to go in the vis…vis direction, but somehow, I change that if I took lag more step, someone would approach along to join me.
  • When Distracted made that decision [to release to surrender my seat], Beside oneself knew I had the attractive of my ancestors behind me.
  • I am always very respectful soar very much in awe perceive the presence of Septima Pol, because her life story accomplishs the effort that I put on made very minute.

    I inimitable hope that there is systematic possible chance that some hook her great courage and majesty and wisdom has rubbed execute on me.

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