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Question: In what ways did Rosa Parks’ background and situation lead to a largely successful boycott, while other, similar resistances did not?
Part A: Plan of Investigation:
Rosa Parks was not the first African American to resist segregation on public transportation, but the effect her resistance had on American history dwarfs that of the others. This historical investigation explores the reasons behind Parks’ success and on the other hand, why similar acts of resistance did not have the same effect. To answer this, it is important to understand Parks’ life before the incident, in addition to what kind of image the NAACP was looking to portray through the icon of this major movement. To further discern the factors affecting her outcome, several similar cases are examined. This investigation primarily utilizes secondary sources from the Internet, such as “Standing Up for Freedom,” published by the Academy of Achievement, which details the life of Rosa Parks before her resistance on the bus. In addition, Margot Adler’s article “Before Rosa Parks, There Was Claudette Colvin,” is heavily referenced in this investigation and explores the accounts of people like Parks, who resisted on public transportation.
Part B: Summary of Evidence
Several links to advocacy for racial equality are evident in Parks’ childhood and background. It was her own mother’s advice to take advantage of every opportunity that came along, as she knew they were not extremely abundant. Unfortunately, Parks’ background was not all about inspiring, motherly advice. As stated in an interview, she often overheard Klu Klux Klan activities such as lynching and burning down the houses of African Americans at night. Understandably, she was fearful that she would be...
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... Web. May 25 2014.
Cannizzaro, Andrew. “Rosa Parks: Before the Bus.” Bio. Grimm, Laura. Biography. Feb 4 2014.
Web. Mar 25 2014.
Hakim, Joy. “Homer Plessy.” Public Broadcasting Service. PBS. n.d. Web. May 25 2014.
“NAACP History: Rosa Parks.” NAACP. NAACP. n.d. Web. May 25 2014.
“Our Mission” NAACP. NAACP. n.d. Web. May 25 2014.
Whittaker, Matthew C. Icons of Black America: Breaking Barriers and Crossing Boundaries. Vol.
2. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO, 2011. 689. Print.
“Welcome to the NAACP.” NAACP. NAACP. n.d. Web. May 25 2014.
On December 1, 1955, Parks was taking the bus home from work. Before she reached her destination, she silently set off a revolution when she refused to give up her bus seat to a white man. As a black violating the laws of racial segregation, she was arrested. Her arrest inspired blacks in the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) to organize a bus boycott to protest the discrimination they had endured for decades. After filing her notice of appeal, a panel of judges in the District Court ruled that racial segregation of public buses was unconstitutional. It was through her silent act of defiance that people began to protest racial discrimination, and where she earned the name “Mother of the Civil Rights Movement” (Bredhoff et
(3) Montgomery Bus Boycott (1955): After the supreme court decided to end segregation, African Americans started to speak out more about their racial opinions. In Montgomery, Alabama, a bus boycott ended with a victory for the African Americans. The Supreme Court ruled that the Alabama segregation laws were unconstitutional. During the boycott a young African American Baptist minister, Martin Luther King, Jr. became well known. Throughout the long contest he advised African Americans to avoid violence no matter had badly provoked by whites. Rosa Parks tired of sitting in the back of the bus, and giving up her seat to white men. One weary day she refused to move from the front of the bus, and she became one of history's heroes in the Civil Rights Act movement.
Overall, Rosa Parks, with the support of the black community & many other people, become a huge icon in the Civil Rights movement. Because of the Montgomery Bus Boycott it changed the view for many people on how they treated each other back then. Even though Rosa may not have realized at the time how much of an impact she would make, the reaction that she had to the Montgomery Bus Boycott made many benefits on how we treated each other
Commonly, Rosa Park’s arrests for refusing to yield her seat on a bus for a White man is a popular misconception of being the primary stimulant that kindled the uproar of the historical boycott of Montgomery’s buses known today. Contrarily, unprecedented, racially provoked violence, and discriminative and segregated events prior to Parks’ conviction motivated leaders to organize their communities for the challenge to break barriers of government’s disregards to Negro’s rights and race equality. Parks was the catalyst that spread to the community for the immediate need for change. Despite, Negroes limited sources, and assumptions they were impressionable and unintelligent; nevertheless, their stance made an economical impact to public transportation, crippled businesses’ revenue, and pressured the government to arbitrate laws against segregation. Within the short period of Parks’ arrest, Negroes were able to brainstorm various strategies that led to the success of the boycott, which included but not limited to the following: proper marketing, assertive leaders, and implementing a civil plan.
Without the leadership of Martin Luther King Jr. and other spiritual leaders, the outcome of the bus boycott could have been totally different and less effective. The movement was unplanned and candid (“Mrs. Rosa Parks Reports”). Newspapers called Montgomery “The Walking City” (Greenfield 38). Rosa was no different from any other person, but she stood up for what was right and ended up starting something that would later help end the segregation laws. (Haskins 2-27)
When Rosa Parks refused to give up her bus seat to a white passenger in Montgomery in 1955, she engaged in one of the most iconic acts of civil disobedience in American history. She was arrested, and her nonviolent resistance of segregation laws led to the famous Montgomery bus boycott. Although many people hail Parks’ act of civil disobedience as one of courage and great importance, today the topic of civil disobedience is controversial. Some criticize this form of protest as a path to anarchy, and others say that it is not defiant enough. However, peaceful resistance to laws positively impacts a free society because it can help marginalized groups, challenge immoral war, and combat harmful corporate interests.
On December 1st, 1955 in Montgomery, Alabama, Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat in the front of a bus to a white man. It was this simple act of defiance that, arguably, began the Civil Rights movement which lasted from 1955 through the 1960’s and altered the face of our nation forever. Following the arrest of Rosa Parks for her simple denial, African Americans in Montgomery began boycotting the bus system, one of the first major stands against racism in the 1950’s. On the heels of the Brown v. Board of Education segregation trial which had ruled in favor of school integration, this boycott, which proved successful after the seat separation was removed, effectively began the civil rights movement with which we are now so familiar with. The civil rights movement in America aimed to gain civil liberties and rights which were guaranteed by law but withheld from them in society. While the movement lasted from about 1954 to 1968, it was not until the 1960’s that other minorities such as American Indians and women began to join the fight. The Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s was possibly the most important domestic social movement of the twentieth century. At the very least, it was the most important social confrontation to grip America since the Civil War.
After Rosa Parks had refused to give up her seat and was arrested, efforts towards bus integration appeared. African-American activists like E.D. Nixon, Jo An Robinson, and Fred Gray believed Parks had a suitable case to bring forward to the public to challenge Jim Crow. Within days of her arrest, activists such as, Jo An Robinson, believed a one-day boycott would bring attention to the issue. Deciding that the boycott should continue, these activists formed the Montgo...
Rosa Parks was a member of the NAACP, lived in Montgomery Alabama, and rode the public bus system. In the south, during this time the buses were segregated which meant that black people had to ride in the back of the bus behind a painted line. White people entered the front of the bus and were compelled to sit in front of the painted line. Most buses at the time had more room for white riders who used the service less than the black ridership. Yet, they could not cross the line even if the seats in the front were empty (Brown-Rose, 2008). Rosa Parks made a bold statement when she sat in the “white section” of a Montgomery bus. She was asked to surrender her seat to a white man, but she did not move and was soon arrested. Her brave action started the Montgomery bus Boycott, with the help of the NAACP, none other than Dr. Martin Luther King’s leadership as part of the Montgomery Improvement Association. As its President, he was able spread the word quickly which brought national attention to the small town of Montgomery’s bus Boycott. The boycott was televised and brought so much attention that the United States Supreme Court ruled that segregation on public transportation was unconstitutional; a success spurring a more
The Civil Rights Movement of the 50's and 60's was arguably one of the most formative and influential periods in American history. Hundreds of thousands of civil rights activists utilized non violent resistance and civil disobediance to revolt against racial segregration and discrimination. The Civil Rights Movement began in the southern states, but quickly rose to national prominence.
Throughout the African American civil rights movement opportunities were sought to spark a chance at improving conditions in the south. Rosa Parks refusing to give up her seat on the Montgomery, Alabama bus was the fire to that spark. Rosa, standing up for herself something anyone person in today’s world would do, was arrested and put in jail. While Rosa was in jail she caught the eye of many people in the Civil Rights Movement, including the leaders. The Civil Rights leaders protested her arrest and hired lawyers to aid her in her trial. Although she was found guilty and was fined fourteen dollars for the cost of the court case, which lasted on thirty minutes, she wasn’t done yet. Rosa Parks has affected the society we live in today in many ways, she is the most influential person the black community has ever seen.
In a century where the United States had experienced major change around the world, two world wars, and was in an ongoing arms race with the Soviet Union, there was change to be made within the nation as well. One of the first events to see Dr. King’s involvement in civil rights was December 1, 1955 when Rosa Parks, a civil rights activist, refused to give up her seat on a public bus to a white man. Rosa Parks was arrested for not wanting to give up her seat and was put in jail. Thi...
McGuire’s attention to Park’s upbringing and circumstances surrounding her famous bus protest shed new light on how she was able to use her own power to defend her human rights. This new interpretation is thus divorced from the “King-centric” view that is so popular in most history textbooks (p. 108). McGuire shows that it was women like Parks and Jo Ann Robinson who started the Montgomery Bus boycott, while male figures like Dr. Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. were more the voice to the people, rather than the brains behind the
Rosa Parks was an African American who was arrested for refusing to give up her seat to a white men. She was bailed out of jail by president, Edgar Nixon, of the NAACP. After hearing about what occurred to Rosa Parks, the black community formed a boycott of Montgomery’s bus system. “Calling themselves the Montgomery Improvement Association, they chose a young minister named Martin Luther King, Jr., to lead the struggle f...
Have you ever wondered why people push you around, belittle you, or even disown you? Well not many of us nowadays have, but there was one brave women who knew all about it. Her name was Rosa Louise Parks. Going a little deeper to understand her, one would need to look up her early life and childhood, her big movement known as the bus boycott, and her achievements in life, and her death. People know Rosa from her boycott, but there was so much more to her than that. How did the Civil Rights movement begin and what started the fire? Rosa Parks just might have been that spark.