Rosa Louise Parks,was known as the Mother of Modern Day Civil Rights Movement (“Rosa Louise Parks Biography” 1). Although some may have known her for being that,others knew her as the woman who refused to give up her seat on the bus to a white man after a long day’s of work as a seamstress.Without Rosa Parks,society may have been different than it is today.She was tired of continuously being forced by whites she knew it was time to for this to stop and for to her to take a stand.
Rosa Louise Parks,was born in Tuskegee Alabama,on February 4,1993. She was the child of James McCauley and Leona Edwards McCauley. Rosa moved back with her parents at the age of two after her grandmother took her into her own household.Her mother was a teacher and her father was a carpenter.“(Rosa Louise Parks Biography 1)”.She was the oldest of her brother, Sylvester McCauley who was born August 20,1915. A few years after being in Tuskegee Alabama,Rosa and her family moved to Pine Level,Alabama. It was a rural area with lots of trees and nature like things around.Although Rosa’s parents did not have much money her mother Leona McCauley,enrolled her into a private all girls school (Miss White’s School for girls) at the age of eleven.Once she completed the private school,she went to college. Unfortunately,she could not graduate because her grandma was sick and Rosa had to take care of her at the age of sixteen. Sadly,while caring for her grandmother,she passed with a unfortunate sickness (Rosa Louise Parks Biography 1).
Years later,Rosa married Raymond Parks on December 18,1932.After her marriage Rosa returned to school at Alabama State Teachers College and finished in 1934,she became a seamstress.“The couple joined the Montgomery National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP),”(International Civil Rights Walk 1).
December 1,1955,Rosa Louise Parks got arrested . After a long day’s of work,Rosa got on the Cleveland Avenue bus like always,whites in the front and blacks in the back but Rosa sat in the front while the bus started to fill up with whites.. “Rosa sat in the fifth row on the first row of the colored section” (Rosa Park Montgomery Bus . Page 1).She was quiet, when the bus became full and white passengers boarded the bus.The bus was full and the bus driver told Rosa Parks to move so a white man could sit in her seat,but she refused.When she refused to move she was arrested and her fine was $10.After Parks was arrested the blacks of Montgomery made demands for the people of Montgomery and created a organization called the Bus Boycott.Because of Rosa’s courageous act,they demanded that black people should sit wherever they felt like and whoever gets there first it’s their seat.They felt as though shouldn’t have to move for anybody at all black or white.They also felt like they should be treated with respect,the bus boycott went into effect four days after Rosa Parks got arrested,December 5, 1955.
The people of Montgomery created a “Don’t Ride the Bus” organization.They told the people “Don’t ride the bus to work, town, or school.A woman has been put in jail for not giving up their seat” (Rosa Parks Montgomery Bus pg 1).They knew had to take a stand not only for them but for others all over, hey we’re tired.When Rosa eventually got out of jail,she had lost her job and got death threats,so she decided it was best for she and her family moved to Detroit, Michigan. People all over admired Rosa even Mr. Martin Luther King, they thanked her for standing up for not only herself , but for others.
Rosa Parks,received forty three honorary doctorate degrees during her lifespan (Rosa Louise Parks Biography 2).After she moved to Detroit,she worked as a deaconess in the African American Church.Rosa and her husband Raymond,created a institute to offer jobs for the black youth.She was honored a Congressional Gold Medal in 1999.Rosa also received an award from president Clinton in 1994.Rosa also has an institute that is named the “Rosa Parks Institute for Self Development”,this institute was created to keep her legacy alive.Rosa has a library built in honor of her,it was built April 21, 1998, it is located in Montgomery,Alabama and opened in 2000.
Rosa Parks has had a movie made in honor of her named“The Rosa Parks Story” it is a movie based on a true story about Rosa refusing to give up her seat and how her life made a dramatic turn,it was filmed in Montgomery,Alabama of 2001. It was released on February 24,2002. (Rosa Louise Parks Biography 3). On October 29,2003, she received the Gandhi,King Ikeda award. After that , she received tremendous amounts of awards.
Mrs. Parks had her ninety-first birthday at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American history. (Rosa Louise Parks Biography 3) Unfortunately,on October 24th,2005,Rosa Louise Parks died due to natural causes.
Leaving her legacy behind but still alive Rosa was the first woman to get arrested for refusing to give up her seat and take a stand.She won many awards for her courageous act, he also dealt with hatred from people,jealousy,and many death threats .but who knew it would have made the world a better place.