ROSA PARKS

Sabina M
Rosa Parks stood up for equality between coloured people and white people in America.
Though her actions, she encouraged others to stand for their freedom.
Rosa was born on February 4, 1913. Rosa Louise McCauley Parks lived in Tuskegee, Alabama
(USA). Her mum was Leona, a teacher and her dad was James, a carpenter. In 1915, her
parents divorced and she moved with her brother (Sylvester) and mother to her
grandmothers house at Pine Level, Alabama. She was home-schooled by her mother till she
was 11 years old.
For Rosa, she had a separate life in other places. The schools were separate, a school for white
students and a school for coloured students. At school, white students could go by bus but
coloured students had to walk including Rosa. This law was called from Jims Crow law. Rosa
Parks was terrified from the Klu Klux Klan who believed the black in ferior (group of white
people) used to march and protest against the coloured people. Rosas grandfather used to
stand with a shotgun outside the house to protest them. It was frightening for a young girl.
Rosa Parks went to Washington High School, grade qm but she dropped out in the 11 grade
because her grandmother was ill (Rosa Parks was 16 years old). When she was 19 years old,
she married Raymond Parks (a barber). In 1932, they made a small ceremony at her mothers
house at Montgomery, Alabama. Her husband wanted her to finish High School; she did this in
1933 when she was 20 years old. After school she worked as a seamstress (makes clothes) at
Montgomery Fair Department Store.
On December 1, 1955 coloured people were allowed to sit in the middle as long as a white
man didnt want it. When Rosa was 42 years old, she was arrested for 2 days for not giving up
her seat. The bus driver had rung the police. She said in her autobiography, people always
say what isnt true. I was tired physically.. No I was the only tired one, im tired of giving in.
On December 5, people protested against her arrested for not riding bus, riding their bikes or
walk instead. By then 35000 flyers were printed to let them know about the boycott. It
became known the Montgomery Bus Boycott. This Boycott was led by Dr Martin Luther King
Jr. It lasted for 381 days, stopping only when the Supreme Court said the people could no
longer be segregated. On December 8, in the court she was found guilty and she had payed
$10 fine plus $4 (a total of money in that time).
In 1957, Rosa Parks moved to Detroit after Boycott because she was being harassed (mother
and husband) threats of their life. In 1987, NAACP Spingarn Medal. In 1999, Rosa was awarded
the Congressional Gold medal of Honour, in 1977 to 1979, her husband, brother and mother
all died of cancer. On October 24, 2005 aged 92 Rosa Parks died. She became known as the
Mother of the Civil Rights movement.