Rosa Louise McCauley Parks
- Born:
- February 4, 1913, Tuskegee, Alabama, USA
- Died:
- October 24, 2005, Detroit, Michigan, USA
- Nationality:
- American
- Profession(s):
- Civil Rights Activist
Early Life and Education
- Rosa Louise McCauley experienced a difficult childhood in rural Alabama, marked by racial segregation and inequality. This early background significantly shaped her understanding of justice and equality; understanding the very basis of the 'life of rosa parks childhood biography'.
- She attended segregated schools, including the Montgomery Industrial School for Girls, and later Alabama State Teachers College (now Alabama State University).
- Due to family circumstances, she left college to care for her grandmother.
Career and Major Achievements
- In 1943, Rosa Parks joined the Montgomery chapter of the NAACP and served as its secretary.
- On December 1, 1955, in Montgomery, Alabama, Parks refused to give up her seat on a bus to a white passenger, violating the city's segregation laws.
- Her act of defiance sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott, a pivotal event in the Civil Rights Movement.
- She worked as a seamstress and later as a staff member for U.S. Representative John Conyers Jr.
Notable Works
- Rosa Parks: My Story (Autobiography, 1992)
- Quiet Strength (Autobiography, 1994)
Legacy and Impact
Rosa Parks' courageous act of defiance on a Montgomery bus galvanized the Civil Rights Movement and earned her the title "Mother of the Civil Rights Movement." Her actions and legacy continue to inspire generations to fight for equality and justice.