ROSA PARKS

Civil Rights Leader

Civil Rights LeaderBorn Feb. 4, 1913 Died Oct. 24, 2005

Rosa Parks was a typical black woman in the 20th century until she refused to give up her seat for a white man in a bus. This became an issue as the blacks, especially the women, did not have any rights to be seated just anywhere on the bus. Rosa Parks deliberately remained seated and undisturbed, as she was tired of the unfair treatments towards the black society in her community.

Bus system for blacks and whitesBlack people could not sit just anywhere they wanted in the bus. They had to sit in the back of the bus. If white people were already sitting in the front of the bus, the black person had to pay the fare, get off the bus, and re-enter at the back door. Sometimes the bus driver just drove off and left them before they could get back on at the back door. If the bus filled up with people, the driver would ask a black person to move so he could reposition the movable sign which divided the black and white sections.

This is where Rosa Parks had seated during the situation

This is what Rosa Parks said about the bus incident…

“I knew someone had to take the first step and I made up my mind not to move. Our mistreatment was just not right, and I was tired of it.”

Her ARREST…

Although Rosa Parks didn’t do anything wrong, according to the law at the time, she had technically violated the law. Rosa Parks, therefore, was arrested. She was sent to court, where she was fined $US10. (remember $US10 back then was worth much greater than it is today.)

What Rosa Parks did to create justice for the blacks…

Rosa Parks was most famous for her refusal to move in the bus, however, she was also known as the “mother of civil rights movement” for her efforts in creating a just society for the blacks. She was a secretary in the local chapter of the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People ), which was a group formed to equalise the blacks and whites in society and further involved herself in many other associations with the same goal. Rosa Parks’ persistence and courage was soon recognized by the world. Thousands of people were brought into tears at the news of her death.