The Life of Rosa

Parks
By: Reagan Wyatt
Core 2
2/13/15

Rosas Early Childhood

Rosa was born on February 4th 1913 in Tuskegee, Alabama

Her childhood gave her early run ins with racist people
Once her grand father stood on the front porch with a loaded gun as the K.
K.K walked down the street
Her parents were separated and she lived with her mom
She went with her mom to live with her grandparents
At an early age she was taught to read by her mother who was a school
teacher
Rosa went to school until she was in the 11th grade then she left to tend to
her sick mother and grandmother
She never went back to school but she did get a job at a shirt factory

Primary Source

Rosas belief in Civil Rights

Rosa believed that African Americans should be treated the same as

whites
She married Raymond Parks who was a member of the National
Association for the Advancement of Colored People
Rosa Parks is known as the mother of civil rights because she refused to
give up her bus seat to a white person.
She became involved with a civil rights institute called the N.A.A.C.P which
stands for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People

Rosa Parks Character Traits

One of Rosas character traits is determination, I say this because Rosa

didnt easily give up her seat to the white person she fought for her rights
as an equal citizen
I would say another one of her character traits is courage, I would say this
because it took a lot of it for Rosa to tell her bus driver no that she wasnt
going to move
Also one of Rosa Parks character traits is caring, I would say this because
Rosa dropped out of school when she was in the 11th grade to tend to her
sick mother and grandmother

Rosa Parks Successes

Rosas biggest success was not giving up her bus seat to a white
passenger
With this being done it set off a boycott that contributed to the law about
equal racial rights
Rosa was strong during all of this knowing that what she did was right
Rosa was awarded many awards and still to this day remembered by many
Rosa also got her high school degree after having to drop out in the 11th
grade
Rosa married Raymond Parks who pushed her to be a high achiever

Rosas Bus Experience

On December 1st, 1955 Rosa rode the Cleveland Avenue bus home from
work
The bus was full and had many white passengers standing
The bus driver pulled over and demanded that four african americans
stand up and give their seat to the white passengers, one of which was
Rosa
Rosa refused to give up her seat
She told the bus driver she didnt see why she should have to give up her
seat
The bus driver called the police and had Rosa arrested

The Boycott

E.D Nixon started forming plans after Rosas arrest to have a Montgomery
City bus boycott
Ads were placed in newspapers and handbills were handed out to black
neighborhoods
It asked for all african americans to stay off busses the day of Rosas trial
They did this to protest her arrest
The boycott continued for several months
the city struggled with finances toward its transit company
Many blacks were arrested for violating a law against boycotts
This became known as one of the most successful boycotts of that time
and in June 1956 district court declared racial segregation laws

Rosas Awards and Death

At age 92, on October 24th, 2005 Rosa Parks passed away

During her lifetime she won many awards
In 1979 the NAACP awarded her with a spingarn medal
In 1980 she was awarded with the Martin Luther King Jr award
In 1983 Rosa was inducted to the Michigan Womens Hall of Fame
In 1992 Rosa Parks was awarded the Peace Abbey Courage of
Conscience
In 1996 she was presented with the Presidential of Freedom
In 1998 she was presented with the International Freedom Conductor
award
In 1999 she was presented with the Congressional Gold Medal
Along with these awards she was given many more

Work Cited
Website
"IIP Digital | U.S. Department of State." Rosa Parks: Mother of the Civil Rights Movement. N.p., 29 Dec. 2008. Web. 06 Oct. 2014.
Website

"IIP Digital | U.S. Department of State." Rosa Parks: Mother of the Civil Rights Movement. N.p., 29 Dec. 2008. Web. 06 Oct. 2014.
Website
"Rosa Parks Achievements, Accomplishments, & Awards." Rosa Parks Accomplishments. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Oct. 2014.
Website
"What Were Rosa Parks' Character Traits?" Answers. Answers Corporation, n.d. Web. 06 Oct. 2014.