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Birth
Born: February 4, 1913 in Tuskegee, Alabama -
Where did Rosa Parks grow up?
Rosa grew up in the southern United States in Alabama.
Her mother was a teacher and her father a carpenter. She had a younger brother named Sylvester. Her parents separated while she was still young and she, with her mother and brother, went to live on her grandparent's farm in the nearby town of Pine Level. Rosa went to the local school for African-American children where her mother was a teacher. -
Segregation
During this time, the city of Montgomery was segregated. This meant that things were different for white people and black people. They had different schools, different churches, different stores, different elevators, and even different drinking fountains. Places often had signs saying "For Colored Only" or "For Whites Only". When Rosa would ride the bus to work, she would have to sit in the back in the seats marked "for colored". Sometimes she would have to stand even if there were seats open up -
Fighting for Equal Rights
Growing up Rosa had lived with racism in the south. She was scared of the members of the KKK who had burned down black school houses and churches. She also saw a black man get beaten by a white bus driver for getting in his way. The bus driver only had to pay a $24 fine. Rosa and her husband Raymond wanted to do something about it. They joined the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). -
How did you lead your group?
The train was supposed to not be segregated according to the Supreme Court. So Rosa led a group of African-American students to the train.
Some people in Montgomery didn't like this, but Rosa wanted to show them that all people should be treated the same
In 1955,Rosa made her famous stand (while sitting) on the bus.All the seats on the bus had filled up when a white man boarded. The bus driver told Rosa and some other African-Americans to stand up.Rosa was arrested. -
After the Boycott...
Just because the laws were changed, things didn't get any easier for Rosa. She received many threats and feared for her life. Many of the civil rights leader's houses were bombed, including the home of Martin Luther King Jr.In 1957 Rosa moved to Detroit, Michigan.
Rosa continued to attend civil rights meetings. She became a symbol to many African-Americans of the fight for equal rights. She is still a symbol of freedom and equality to many today.