Black History Month Day 4: Rosa Parks
When you think of historical black figures I’m sure there is one that definitely comes to mind; Rosa Parks.
Born on February 4th, 1913, Rosa Parks set off a chain reaction which led to the Montgomery Bus Boycott. The incident occurred on December 1st 1955 when she refused to give up her seat to a white man and sit in the back. This resulted in her getting arrested. On December 5th she was put on trial and was ordered to pay a $10 fine and a $4 court fee.
It was also during this time that the bus boycott took place. After seeing as how the bus system was losing money, they officially ended the boycott which in turn allowed African Americans to sit in any area of the bus as they pleased.
However despite her brave act, Rosa Parks’ like in the south still wasn’t easy. She lost her job and her husband was also fired from his job. With no other choice, they packed up and moved to Detroit.
in 1987, Parks founded the Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute for Self-Development. This organization runs “Pathways to Freedom” bus tours, introducing young people to important civil rights and Underground Railroad sites throughout the country.
Along with the institute, Parks received many accolades during her lifetime, including the Spingarn Medal, the NAACP’s highest award, and the prestigious Martin Luther King Jr. Award.
She passed away on October 24, 2005 and was buried in the Detroit cemetery mausoleum which was then named after.