Rosa Parks Research • Chaos

Rosa Parks 

By - Faye Ordonez  

Leadership Qualities -

Integrity : Following your belief of excellence, displaying principled dedication to values and beliefs.

Concern : Worrying for important matters, a feeling of care for something/someone.

Determination : Setting a goal and trying your best to achieve it, giving your best effort.

Courage : Being brave, is able to do something that one might be afraid to do.

Resourceful : The ability to solve a problem quickly.

Rosa Parks was a civil rights activist that refused to give up her seat for a white passenger on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama. 

She helped to spark up the racial equality problem that has been happening around the world during her time, unfortunately this problem still happens today. 

She achieved the civil rights movement when she refused to give up her seat on the bus to a white passenger. 

The after results of her actions caused the Montgomery bus boycott to be launched and led by Martin Luther King Jr. 

She also helped give african-Americans momentum to be able to fight for equal rights that they deserved. Unfortunately Rosa Parks was arrested on December 1, 1955 for the refusal to give her seat. 

You might be wondering why she did this or why she said no to the white man, this was not because she was tired and unable to get up, it was actually because of her race. 

She refused to give it up because by the law in Montgomery required for blacks to stay in the back section of the bus and for the whites to be able to be in front, Once the white section filled the law required that the black passengers in the “coloured section” give up their seats for the white passengers and move farther back. 

Rosa thought this was unfair and said “Nah!” to the white man which caused an “outrage” to the law. 

Although she wasn’t the first woman to refuse to give up her seat, she was inspired by Claudette Colvin although she didn't get much fame because apparently she didn’t have ‘Nice hair’ she wasn’t fair-skinned and she was a teenager that got pregnant. 

The civil rights activists didn’t recognize her because they wanted to keep a reputation that’s why they chose to recognize Rosa Parks rather than Claudette Colvin.

 

James Fred Blake interview on the historical day on the bus. ( The bus driver of the bus that Rosa Parks road ) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_Dcx3Eb6Rs

Timeline - https://www.loc.gov/collections/rosa-parks-papers/articles-and-essays/timeline/

1. Born, Tuskegee, Alabama

2. 1914

3. Moved to Pine Level, Alabama

4. 1924-1929

5. Attended the Montgomery Industrial School, Montgomery, Alabama

6. 1932

7. Married Raymond A. Parks (died 1977)

8. 1933

9. Received high school degree

10. 1943

11. Selected as secretary, NAACP Montgomery, Alabama, branch

12. 1949

13. Became an advisor to the Youth Council of the NAACP Montgomery, Alabama, branch

14. 1955

15. Attended a workshop at the Highlander Folk School, Monteagle, Tennessee, in August.
    Arrested on December 1 and charged with violating Montgomery, Alabama, segregation laws by refusing to give up her bus seat to a white passenger
    Participated in organizing a boycott of the Montgomery bus system

16. 1956

17. Lost her job in January as an assistant tailor at the Montgomery Fair department store, Montgomery, Alabama
    Arrested along with other boycott organizers for violating anti-boycott laws

18. 1957

19. Moved to Detroit, Michigan
    Participated in the Prayer Pilgrimage for Freedom

20. 1957-1958

21. Hostess, Holly Tree Inn, Hampton Institute, Hampton, Va.

22. 1958

23. Returned to Detroit, Michigan

24. 1963

25. Participated in the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom

26. 1965

27. Participated in the Selma-to-Montgomery March

28. 1965-1988

29. Worked in Congressman John Conyers's district office in Detroit, Michigan

30. 1979

31. Awarded the NAACP Spingarn Medal

32. 1987

33. Founded the Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute for Self Development

34. 1992

35. Published with Jim Haskins Rosa Parks: My Story. New York: Dial Books

36. 1994

37. Published with Gregory J. Reed Quiet Strength: The Faith, the Hope, the Heart of a Woman Who Changed a Nation. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House

38. 1996

39. Awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom
    Published with Gregory J. Reed Dear Mrs. Parks: A Dialogue with Today's Youth. New York: Lee and Low Books

40. 1999

41. Awarded the Congressional Gold Medal

42. 2005, Oct. 24

43. Died, Detroit, Michigan; lay in honor in the United States Capitol Rotunda