Childhood and Education Journey of Rosa Parks in Timeline

Discover the defining moments in the early life of Rosa Parks. From birth to education, explore key events.

Rosa Parks, an American civil rights activist, is renowned for her courageous act in 1955 when she refused to give up her bus seat to a white passenger in Montgomery, Alabama. This act of defiance against the Jim Crow segregation laws ignited the Montgomery bus boycott, a pivotal event in the Civil Rights Movement. Often called the 'mother of the civil rights movement,' Parks's bravery and commitment to equality helped catalyze widespread efforts to end racial segregation and discrimination in the United States, making her a significant figure in American history.

Sections (6)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Legacy & Impact

1900: Montgomery passed ordinance segregating streetcar passengers

In 1900, Montgomery passed a city ordinance segregating streetcar passengers by race, before state-wide segregation was implemented.

1901: Jim Crow segregation codified

In 1901, Alabama formally codified Jim Crow segregation into law at a state constitutional convention, enforcing racial separation in various aspects of life.

1902: Streetcar boycott protests and amendment

Between 1900 and 1902, Montgomery's Black residents boycotted segregated streetcars. The boycotts resulted in an amendment to the city ordinance, which stipulated that no rider had to surrender a seat unless another was available.

February 4, 1913: Rosa Parks was born

On February 4, 1913, Rosa Louise McCauley Parks was born. She later became an American civil rights activist.

Others born on this day/year

1928: Transferred to Booker T. Washington Junior High

In 1928, after the Montgomery Industrial School for Girls closed, Rosa Parks transferred to Booker T. Washington Junior High School, a segregated public school.

1931: Met Raymond Parks

In 1931, Rosa Parks was introduced to her future husband, Raymond Parks, by a mutual friend. Initially not very interested, she was eventually persuaded to ride with him in his car.

December 18, 1932: Marriage to Raymond Parks

On December 18, 1932, Rosa Parks married Raymond Parks at her mother's house. Soon after, they moved to a rooming house in the Centennial Hill neighborhood of Montgomery.

1933: Completed High School Education

In 1933, Rosa Parks completed her high school education with encouragement from Raymond. At the time in Alabama, only 7% of Black people held a high school diploma.

1940: Black voter registration in Montgomery

In 1940, less than 0.1% of Black Montgomerians were registered to vote, highlighting the obstacles preventing Black people from exercising their right to vote.

1941: Began working at Maxwell Air Force Base

In 1941, Rosa Parks began working at Maxwell Air Force Base, where she experienced integrated public transit on-base, contrasting with the segregated buses she had to use at home.

December 1943: Elected Secretary of the NAACP

In December 1943, Rosa Parks was elected secretary of the Montgomery chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).

1943: Joined NAACP and attempted to register to vote

In 1943, Rosa Parks joined the Montgomery chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and served as the organization's secretary. Also in 1943, Rosa Parks began her attempts to register to vote.

1943: First attempt to register to vote

In 1943, Rosa Parks made her first attempt to register to vote, encouraged by NAACP activist E. D. Nixon.

1943: Confrontation with bus driver James F. Blake

In 1943, Rosa Parks was confronted by bus driver James F. Blake when she tried to take her seat from the front of the bus, resulting in her refusal to re-board through the back and a tense exchange.

1944: Investigated Recy Taylor's gang rape

In 1944, Rosa Parks, in her capacity as NAACP secretary, began investigating the gang rape of Recy Taylor, a Black woman from Abbeville.

1944: Viola White Arrested

In 1944, Viola White, an employee at Maxwell Air Force Base, was arrested for declining to give up her seat on a Montgomery bus.

1945: Parks successfully registered to vote

In 1945, Rosa Parks successfully registered to vote after multiple attempts, despite various obstacles preventing Black people from registering.

1945: Second grand jury hearing fails to indict Taylor's assailants

In 1945, after a second grand jury hearing, the state failed to secure indictments for the assailants in the Recy Taylor case despite the efforts of Parks and other activists.

1949: Mary Wingfield Arrested

In 1949, Mary Wingfield was arrested for declining to give up her seat on a Montgomery bus.

1952: Organized support for Jeremiah Reeves

In 1952, Rosa Parks organized support for Jeremiah Reeves, who was accused of raping a white woman. Reeves was ultimately executed in 1957.

October 1954: Mary Louise Smith Arrested

In October 1954, teenager Mary Louise Smith was arrested for declining to give up her seat on a Montgomery bus.

1954: Began working for the Durrs

In 1954, Rosa Parks began working as a seamstress for Clifford and Virginia Durr, a white couple who were politically liberal and opposed to segregation.

March 1955: Claudette Colvin Arrested

In March 1955, Claudette Colvin, a fifteen-year-old student, was arrested for declining to give up her seat on a Montgomery bus.

April 29, 1955: Aurelia Browder Arrested

On April 29, 1955, Aurelia Browder was arrested for declining to give up her seat on a Montgomery bus.

August 1955: Attended meeting on Emmett Till's lynching

In August 1955, Rosa Parks attended a meeting in Montgomery concerning the lynching of Emmett Till, and was heartened by the attention the case received.

October 21, 1955: Susie McDonald Arrested

On October 21, 1955, Susie McDonald was arrested for declining to give up her seat on a Montgomery bus.

December 1, 1955: Parks boards bus driven by Blake

On December 1, 1955, at 5:30 PM, Rosa Parks boarded a bus at Court Square after purchasing items from Lee's Cut-Rate Drug. Unknowingly, James F. Blake was the driver.

December 5, 1955: Montgomery Bus Boycott Planning and Parks's Trial

On December 5, 1955, the day of Rosa Parks's trial, the Women's Political Council (WPC) planned a one-day boycott of Montgomery buses. Jo Ann Robinson collaborated with students to produce 35,000 leaflets announcing the boycott using a mimeograph provided by the college's business chair, John Cannon.

December 1955: Previous arrests for not giving up bus seats

Prior to December 1955, several people were arrested for declining to give up their seats on Montgomery buses, setting the stage for Rosa Parks's pivotal act of defiance.

1955: Parks visits Black Panther school

During the 1979/1980 academic year, Rosa Parks visited the Black Panther school in Oakland, California. As part of her visit, she attended a student play dramatizing her refusal to move in 1955, and stayed after to answer the students' questions. Ericka Huggins stated that Parks "loved" the visit.

1955: Refusal to move on bus sparks boycott

In 1955, Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat to a white passenger on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama, violating Jim Crow laws. This act of defiance led to her arrest and sparked the Montgomery bus boycott, a pivotal event in the civil rights movement.

1955: Arrest and Bus Boycott

In 1955, Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her seat on a bus, leading to a widespread boycott organized by the Women's Political Council (WPC) and the Montgomery Improvement Association (MIA). The boycott, which lasted 381 days, ended after segregation on buses was deemed unconstitutional in the court case Browder v. Gayle.

January 1956: Fired from Montgomery Fair

In January 1956, Rosa Parks was fired from her job as a seamstress at Montgomery Fair because of her involvement in the bus boycott. She was being ostracized by her coworkers.

February 1956: MIA Relief Fund Disbursement for Parks

In February 1956, King requested a $250–$300 disbursement for Parks from the Montgomery Improvement Association (MIA) relief fund due to financial hardship. The funds were authorized to help Rosa Parks.

December 20, 1956: Supreme Court Orders Integration of Montgomery Buses

On December 20, 1956, the Supreme Court ordered the integration of Montgomery's buses after rejecting appeals by the city of Montgomery and the state of Alabama. This ruling led King to call off the boycott that day, 381 days after it began.

August 1957: Parks leaves Montgomery for Detroit

In August 1957, Rosa Parks left Montgomery for Detroit due to economic insecurity, threats to her safety, and divisions within the MIA leadership. The MIA gave her $500 as a "going-away present".

October 1957: Parks moves to Hampton, Virginia

In October 1957, Rosa Parks briefly moved to Hampton, Virginia, to work at Holly Tree Inn as a hostess, before returning to Detroit in December.

1957: Execution of Jeremiah Reeves

In 1957, Jeremiah Reeves, who was supported by Rosa Parks, was executed after being accused of raping a white woman.

1957: Relocation to Detroit

In 1957, Rosa Parks relocated to Detroit, Michigan, due to financial hardship and health problems resulting from her participation in the Montgomery bus boycott. In Detroit she continued to advocate for civil rights.

1959: Parks and Family Lose Apartment

In 1959, Rosa Parks and her family lost their apartment and moved into a meeting hall for the Progressive Civic League (PCL) in Detroit.

1960: Parks' Health Deteriorates

In 1960, Rosa Parks's health deteriorated, requiring multiple surgeries, which led to significant debt from unpaid medical bills. She received donations from the MIA and PCL.

1961: Parks Finds Employment and Moves to Virginia Park Street

In 1961, after her health improved, Rosa Parks found employment at Stockton Sewing Company, and the family moved to a flat on Virginia Park Street in Detroit.

1962: Parks attends SCLC convention in Birmingham, Alabama.

In 1962, Rosa Parks attended the Southern Christian Leadership Conference convention in Birmingham, Alabama. She was an honorary member of the SCLC.

August 1963: Parks Participates in the March on Washington

In August 1963, Rosa Parks traveled to Washington, D.C., to participate in the March on Washington, where she was honored alongside other prominent women in the civil rights struggle during the event's "Tribute to Women" segment.

1964: Parks Works on Conyers's Congressional Campaign

In 1964, Rosa Parks played a critical role in John Conyers's congressional campaign, persuading King to appear with Conyers. After Conyers was elected, he hired Parks as a secretary and receptionist for his congressional office in Detroit.

1965: Parks Joins Selma to Montgomery Marches

In 1965, Rosa Parks attended the Selma to Montgomery marches, joined the Lowndes County Freedom Organization, and supported the Freedom Now Party.

1967: Parks supports rioters after the Detroit Riot

In 1967, Rosa Parks spoke in support of rioters in the wake of the Detroit riot, comparing the "burning and looting" of the riot with her own actions during the Montgomery bus boycott.

1968: Parks Participates in Black Power Movement

In 1968, Rosa Parks took part in the Black power movement, attending the Philadelphia Black power conference.

1972: Parks Attends National Black Political Convention

In 1972, Rosa Parks attended the National Black Political Convention in Gary, Indiana, and continued to support the Black power movement.

July 1975: Joanne Little Acquitted

In July 1975, Joanne Little was acquitted after a national outcry around her case. Rosa Parks played a key role in the establishment of the Detroit chapter of the Joanne Little Defense Committee, supporting Little, who was charged with killing her jailer while he was sexually assaulting her.

1977: Death of Raymond Parks

In 1977, Raymond Parks, Rosa Parks's husband, died of throat cancer, causing her personal struggles and gradual withdrawal from the civil rights movement.

1979: Parks visits Black Panther school

1979: Death of Parks's Mother and Relocation

In 1979, Rosa Parks's mother died. Parks relocated her elderly mother first to a retirement facility, then to a senior living apartment, where they lived together until her mother's death.

1980: Parks visits Black Panther school

1981: Parks Supports Arrested Activists

In 1981, Rosa Parks wrote to attorney Chokwe Lumumba in support of arrested activists from the Black Liberation Army, the May 19th Communist Organization, the RNA, and Weather Underground.

1984: Parks Supports Jesse Jackson's Presidential Campaign

In 1984, Rosa Parks supported Jesse Jackson's presidential campaign.

1985: Parks runs for NAACP president

In 1985, Rosa Parks and Joe Madison unsuccessfully ran for president and vice president of the NAACP's Detroit chapter.

1987: Parks co-founded the Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute for Self Development

In 1987, Rosa Parks co-founded the Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute for Self Development with Elaine Eason Steele. The institute aims to develop youth leaders' capabilities in advancing civil rights initiatives.

1988: Parks Speaks at Democratic National Convention

In 1988, Rosa Parks spoke on behalf of Jesse Jackson at the Democratic National Convention, supporting his presidential campaign.

1990: Called for Release of Nelson Mandela

In 1990, at a Washington, D.C., gala celebrating her birthday, Rosa Parks gave a speech calling for the release of anti-apartheid activist Nelson Mandela.

August 30, 1994: Robbed and Attacked in Her Home

On August 30, 1994, at age 81, Rosa Parks was robbed and assaulted in her home by Joseph Skipper, who broke down her back door and demanded money, ultimately punching her in the face after she complied with his initial demands. She then gave him all the money she had, which was $103, and she called the police. Skipper was later arrested on August 31.

1994: Attended Meeting of National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations

In 1994, Rosa Parks attended the meeting of the National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations in America in Detroit alongside Jesse Jackson and Queen Mother Moore.

1995: Participated in Million Man March

In 1995, Rosa Parks participated in the Million Man March alongside Moore, Betty Shabazz, Dorothy Height, and Maya Angelou, at the invitation of Louis Farrakhan.

1999: Filed Lawsuit Against Outkast

In 1999, Rosa Parks filed a $5 billion lawsuit against the hip-hop duo Outkast for using her name in their song "Rosa Parks" without permission.

Loading Video...

2001: Signed Open Letter Cautioning Against Military Response

In 2001, following the September 11 attacks, Rosa Parks, along with Danny Glover, Harry Belafonte, and Gloria Steinem, signed an open letter that cautioned against a "military response" and advocated for international collaboration.

2002: Received Eviction Notice

In 2002, Rosa Parks received an eviction notice from her apartment for non-payment of rent because she was incapable of managing her own financial affairs. Her rent was later paid from a collection taken by Hartford Memorial Baptist Church in Detroit.

2003: Boycotted NAACP Image Awards Ceremony

In 2003, Rosa Parks boycotted the NAACP Image Awards ceremony, which was hosted by Cedric the Entertainer, due to controversy over his portrayal of her in "Barbershop".

Loading Video...

2004: Filed Another Suit Against BMG Rights Management

In 2004, Rosa Parks filed another lawsuit against BMG Rights Management, Arista Records, and LaFace Records related to the Outkast song.

2004: Landlord Forgave Back Rent and Allowed Rent-Free Living

In 2004, after the news of Rosa Parks's impending eviction due to delinquent rent was publicized, her landlord announced that they had forgiven the back rent and would allow Parks, then 91 and in extremely poor health, to live rent-free in the building for the remainder of her life.

2005: Settlement Reached in Lawsuit Against Outkast

In 2005, a settlement was reached in the lawsuit between Rosa Parks, Outkast, and BMG, with Outkast and BMG agreeing to pursue projects to educate youth about Parks's role in making America a better place.

2016: Gary Tyler Freed after 41 Years

In 2016, Gary Tyler was freed after 41 years in prison. Rosa Parks had advocated for Gary Tyler, who was wrongfully convicted of shooting of a 13-year-old white boy while being attacked by a group of white segregationists.