Rosa Parks was a Black civil rights activist whose refusal to give up her bus seat to a white man ignited the American civil rights movement. Because she played a leading role in the Montgomery bus boycott, she is called the ‘mother of the civil rights movement.’
Rosa Parks was a Black civil rights activist whose refusal to give up her bus seat to a white man ignited the American civil rights movement. Because she played a leading role in the Montgomery bus boycott, she is called the ‘mother of the civil rights movement.’
Rosa Parks Fast Facts
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Civil rights leader Rosa Parks was arrested in Montgomery, Alabama, for refusing to give up her bus seat to a white passenger in 1955. This lead to African-Americans boycotting public transportation to protest Parks’ arrest and, in turn, segregation laws. Here’s a look at her life.
Personal
Death date: October 24, 2005
Birth
Father: James McCauley, carpenter
Marriage: Raymond Parks (1932-1977, his death)
Timeline
1930-1955 – Works several jobs as a housekeeper, seamstress, secretary and life insurance agent. Spends her spare time active in the voter registration movement and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).