Rosa Parks

She is known to some as the "Mother of the Civil Rights," for her courageous act against racism and discrimination in 1955. Rosa Parks was more than just refusing to give up her seat, she was refusing to be overpowered by unfair discrimination. For this act, she received the Congressional Gold Medal of Honor, one of the most predigest honors in government. In addition to this, it also made way for the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the Civil Rights Movement. The actions of Rosa Parks opened the door for desegregation, and represented the spirit of the 1950's.

When Rosa Parks entered her bus in December 1, 1955 she only intended to return home after a long day of work. Instead, she sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott that would change the lives of African Americans forever. After this moment, the decade was no longer of pop culture and fashion, but a crusade for equal treatment of African Americans. The Montgomery Bus Boycott allowed African Americans to express their desegregation, for after this, segregation would be banned on all the busses. If it were not for Rosa Parks, and her brave stand against racism on the bus, equal rights for blacks would have taken much longer than it already did.

In addition to starting the Montgomery Bus Boycott, Rosa Parks also launched the Civil Rights Act in the 1950's. This movement was one of the most effective ones since the Reconstructive period in history. It helped bring black and white children together in schools and in parks. This movement greatly affected our society by improving the rights and quality of life for the African Americans. This Civil Rights Movement started by the actions of Rosa Parks helped break the segregation placed by the Jim Crow laws in the 1800s. Rosa Parks also helped bring Martin Luther King Jr. into the public eye during the Civil Rights Protest.

Rosa Parks has shown us that one small simple act of bravery can bring about a whirl-wind of changes. Little did she know she would affect the lives of all people of color. People do not realize that Rosa Parks' act on the bus set the stage for many more desegregation to come. In addition to this, Rosa Parks shaped the spirit of the fifties by taking a stand against racism, allowing for more reforms to come.

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Works Cited:

www.discoverwriting.com/jan-feb01.html

www.fiftiesweb.com/pop/rosa-parks.htm