Rosa Parks

I highly doubt Rosa Park knew what she was doing on the date of December 1, 1955, only that she was highly aggravated at the constant hatred and segregation given to her and those of her color or decent, the African-Americans. And I refused to believe she or anyone in that time period believed that decades later she would end up being one of the most influential women who stood up against segregation, and fought -in her own way- for civil rights amongst human beings.

On that memorable day, December 1, 1955, Rosa, after a hard day of work, boarded the Cleveland Avenue bus for home, seating herself down in the first of several rows designated for 'colored people,' and was asked, rather rudely, for the ‘coloreds’ to give up their seats to white passengers. Rosa, however, refused and remained seated and only replied, “I don't think I should have to stand up.” The police later arrested Rosa claiming she had violated chapter 6, section 11 of the Montgomery city code. Her refusal to give up her seat to the white passengers started a worldwide boycott, in which the city of Montgomery had no choice but to lift the law requiring segregation on public busses.

From that day on, Rosa Parks struggle served as an influential message to African-Americans everywhere to stand up for their rights. Decades after this memorable event, Rosa parks is still thought of as an inspiring women who took the first step into the civil right movement, and who will always be remembered as the African- American woman who refused to surrender her seat to a white man.