Rosa Parks Sat Still
Habish Ribin Haneef
The story of Rosa Louise McCauley Parks is really a motivational one that can boost the confidence of any person. Rosa Parks was an American activist who was brilliantly active in the civil rights movement and campaign that occurred in the United States from 1954 to 1958. She played a vital role in attaining freedom for black people in the US through her extraordinary hard work and sincerity. Rosa Parks was born on February 4, 1913, in Tuskegee, Alabama, US. Her father James McCauley was a carpenter and her mother Leona was a teacher. After the separation of her parents, Parks moved to Pine Level, an unincorporated community just outside Montgomery, the capital of Alabama. Rosa Parks studied in rural schools until the age of 11. Her mother also taught her sewing and she learned sewing along with her studies. She even sewed dresses for herself to wear. Parks went to a laboratory school set up by the Alabama State Teachers College for Negroes to pursue secondary education. But, soon her grandmother and later her mother became ill which led her to drop her studies. Parks then cared for her mother and grandmother as much as she can. In 1932, Parks married Raymond, a barber from Montgomery. For a better earning, Parks took numerous jobs like nursing assistant, domestic worker, etc. In between this, the brave girl completed her high school studies (in 1933) which she dropped before and the amazing fact is that during that time only fewer than 7% of African Americans had a high-school diploma. Her husband Raymond Parks also supported her to complete her high school studies. Raymond Parks was also a member of the NAACP (The National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People), a civil rights organisation in the US, formed in 1909 as an interracial endeavour to advance justice for African Americans. In December 1943, Parks became active in the civil rights movement and joined the NAACP. Soon she was appointed as the secretary of the organisation. As a secretary, she investigated many crimes and formulated subsequent solutions for them. But, Parks is well known for the crucial role she played in the Montgomery Bus Boycott.
Montgomery Bus Boycott:
This famous incident took place in the year 1955. Now, let’s see the events that led to the Montgomery bus boycott. In the 1950s, there was a rule in the US stating that the whites will sit in the front part of the bus while the blacks will sit in the back part of the bus and if the seats in the front become full, then the blacks who are seated at the back have to give up their seats to the whites. Rosa Parks protested against this racist rule and proved that the word “equality” has got great importance. It all started on December 1, 1955. Rosa Parks was travelling on a city bus and she refused to give up her seat when a white man approached her. This act by Parks led to huge controversies and problems and eventually she was arrested. While she was in the prison, the local civil rights leaders decided to take this as an opportunity to stop unethical rules like this. Soon, E.D. Nixon, the then-president of the NAACP and Jo Ann Robinson, a leader of the WPC (Women’s Political Council) printed and distributed leaflets stating Park’s arrest and called for a one-day boycott of the city buses on December 5. They believed that the boycott might be successful because it was the blacks that made up 75 per cent of the occupancy in city buses. And yes, as per their calculations, the boycott was a huge success and this led the civil rights leaders to extend the boycott for an indefinite period of time. Soon, Rosa Parks was bailed out by a local civil rights leader. But, still, the boycott continued for more than a year. Finally, on June 5, 1956, all the hard work paid off. A federal district court declared segregated seating on buses is unconstitutional. The rule came into effect on December 20, 1956. This incident gained huge public attention and also gave motivation and confidence to other black communities too to fight against injustice and partiality. Rosa Parks, the brave woman, had only one thing to prove- all people are equal, no one has any superiority over others, all are equal in front of the law, and in fact, all are humans, pure humans. After being an active activist and putting her signature in several incidents, she finally passed away on October 24, 2005, at the age of 92 in her apartment in Detroit, US.
Conclusion:
World will never forget Rosa Parks, the brave woman. She taught many that all people are equal and there is only one criteria that defines all the people. That is not religion, that is not caste, that is not colour, that is not gender, that is “humanity.” She also proved that if justice is with you, no matter go ahead as much as you can and fight the injustice. The Rosa parks incident is famously quoted as “Rosa Parks Sat Still”. Yes, she is still sitting in everyone’s heart.
Read more:Human Ear
Check your knowledge
Answer. Rosa Parks was an American activist who was brilliantly active in the civil rights movement and campaign that occurred in the United States from 1954 to 1958.
Answer. In the 1950s, there was a rule in the US stating that the whites will sit in the front part of the bus while the blacks will sit in the back part of the bus and if the seats in the front become full, then the blacks who are seated at the back have to give up their seats to the whites. Rosa Parks was travelling on a city bus and she refused to give up her seat when a white man approached her. This act by Parks led to huge controversies and problems and eventually she was arrested.
Answer. December 5, 1955