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.
In 1900, Montgomery passed a city ordinance segregating streetcar passengers by race, before state-wide segregation was implemented.
In 1901, Alabama formally codified Jim Crow segregation into law at a state constitutional convention, enforcing racial separation in various aspects of life.
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.
On February 4, 1913, Rosa Louise McCauley Parks was born. She later became an American civil rights activist.
In 1928, after the Montgomery Industrial School for Girls closed, Rosa Parks transferred to Booker T. Washington Junior High School, a segregated public school.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
In December 1943, Rosa Parks was elected secretary of the Montgomery chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).
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.
In 1943, Rosa Parks made her first attempt to register to vote, encouraged by NAACP activist E. D. Nixon.
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.
In 1944, Rosa Parks, in her capacity as NAACP secretary, began investigating the gang rape of Recy Taylor, a Black woman from Abbeville.
In 1944, Viola White, an employee at Maxwell Air Force Base, was arrested for declining to give up her seat on a Montgomery bus.
In 1945, Rosa Parks successfully registered to vote after multiple attempts, despite various obstacles preventing Black people from registering.
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.
In 1949, Mary Wingfield was arrested for declining to give up her seat on a Montgomery bus.
In 1952, Rosa Parks organized support for Jeremiah Reeves, who was accused of raping a white woman. Reeves was ultimately executed in 1957.
In October 1954, teenager Mary Louise Smith was arrested for declining to give up her seat on a Montgomery bus.
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.
In March 1955, Claudette Colvin, a fifteen-year-old student, was arrested for declining to give up her seat on a Montgomery bus.
On April 29, 1955, Aurelia Browder was arrested for declining to give up her seat on a Montgomery bus.
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.
On October 21, 1955, Susie McDonald was arrested for declining to give up her seat on a Montgomery bus.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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".
In 1957, Jeremiah Reeves, who was supported by Rosa Parks, was executed after being accused of raping a white woman.
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.
In 1959, Rosa Parks and her family lost their apartment and moved into a meeting hall for the Progressive Civic League (PCL) in Detroit.
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.
In 1962, Rosa Parks attended the Southern Christian Leadership Conference convention in Birmingham, Alabama. She was an honorary member of the SCLC.
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.
In 1963, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) established the Rosa Parks Freedom Award.
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.
In 1965, Rosa Parks attended the Selma to Montgomery marches, joined the Lowndes County Freedom Organization, and supported the Freedom Now Party.
In 1965, Rosa Parks received the "Dignity Overdue" award from the Afro-American Broadcasting Company and was honored at a ceremony held at the Ford Auditorium in Detroit.
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.
In 1968, Rosa Parks took part in the Black power movement, attending the Philadelphia Black power conference.
In 1968, Rosa Parks was presented with the Martin Luther King Jr. Award by the Capitol Press Club.
In 1972, Rosa Parks attended the National Black Political Convention in Gary, Indiana, and continued to support the Black power movement.
In 1972, Rosa Parks received the Rosa Parks Freedom Award from the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC).
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.
In 1976, Detroit's 12th Street was renamed "Rosa Parks Boulevard" at the behest of her friend Louise Tappes.
In 1977, Raymond Parks, Rosa Parks's husband, died of throat cancer, causing her personal struggles and gradual withdrawal from the civil rights movement.
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.
In 1979, Rosa Parks was featured as card no. 27 in the Supersisters trading card set.
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.
In 1979, the NAACP awarded Rosa Parks the Spingarn Medal, recognizing her "quiet courage and determination" in refusing to relinquish her seat.
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.
In 1980, Rosa Parks received the Martin Luther King Jr. Award from the NAACP.
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.
In 1983, Rosa Parks was inducted into the Michigan Women's Hall of Fame.
In 1984, Rosa Parks received the Candace Award from the National Coalition of 100 Black Women.
In 1984, Rosa Parks supported Jesse Jackson's presidential campaign.
In 1985, Rosa Parks and Joe Madison unsuccessfully ran for president and vice president of the NAACP's Detroit chapter.
In 1987, Rosa Parks co-founded the Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute for Self Development with Elaine Eason Steele.
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.
In 1988, Rosa Parks spoke on behalf of Jesse Jackson at the Democratic National Convention, supporting his presidential campaign.
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.
In 1991, a bronze sculpture of Rosa Parks was displayed at the National Portrait Gallery.
In 1992, Rosa Parks authored the autobiographical work, "Rosa Parks: My Story".
In 1992, Rosa Parks received the Peace Abbey Courage of Conscience Award.
In 1993, Rosa Parks was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame.
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.
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.
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.
In 1996, Rosa Parks received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Bill Clinton, which is the highest award a civilian can receive from the United States executive branch.
In 1997, Michigan designated February 4 as Rosa Parks Day.
In 1997, Rosa Parks authored the autobiographical work, "Dear Mrs. Parks".
In April 1998, the Los Angeles Metro Rail station at the intersection of what is now the A and C Lines was renamed in Rosa Parks's honor.
In 1998, Outkast released their song "Rosa Parks" on the album Aquemini, which would lead to a lawsuit in 1999.
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.
In 1999, Rosa Parks filmed a cameo appearance for the television series Touched by an Angel.
In 1999, Rosa Parks was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal and was honored with the Windsor–Detroit International Freedom Festival Freedom Award. Time also named her one of the 20 most influential figures of the 20th century.
In 2000, Rosa Parks received the Alabama Governor's Medal of Honor and the Alabama Academy Award.
In 2000, Troy University opened the Rosa Parks Library and Museum at the site of Parks's arrest.
In 2001, Iris Little-Thomas portrayed Rosa Parks in the film "Boycott", directed by Clark Johnson.
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.
In 2002, Angela Bassett portrayed Rosa Parks in the biopic "The Rosa Parks Story", directed by Julie Dash.
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.
In 2002, Rosa Parks's apartment in Montgomery was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
In 2002, the film "Barbershop" generated controversy due to a scene where Eddie, played by Cedric the Entertainer, downplayed Rosa Parks's role in the civil rights movement. The controversy led to criticism and calls for a boycott.
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".
In 2003, Rosa Parks received the International Institute Heritage Hall of Fame Award.
In 2003, the bus on which Rosa Parks refused to move was restored with funding from the Save America's Treasures program and placed on display at The Henry Ford museum.
In 2004, Rosa Parks filed another lawsuit against BMG Rights Management, Arista Records, and LaFace Records related to the Outkast song.
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.
On October 24, 2005, Rosa Parks passed away. She was an American civil rights activist.
On October 29, 2005, Concurrent Resolution 61 was approved, which allowed Rosa Parks's remains to lie in state at the United States Capitol rotunda from October 30 to 31.
After Rosa Parks's death in 2005, she was honored with public viewings and memorial services in Montgomery, Washington, D.C., and Detroit. She received numerous awards and honors, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom and a Congressional Gold Medal, and was the first Black American to be memorialized in the National Statuary Hall.
Following Rosa Parks's death in 2005, President Bush signed H.R. 4145, which authorized a statue of Parks to be placed in the National Statuary Hall at the United States Capitol. Parks was the first Black American to receive this honor.
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.
In 2006, Nassau County, New York County Executive Tom Suozzi announced that the Hempstead Transit Center would be renamed the Rosa Parks Hempstead Transit Center in Rosa Parks's honor.
In 2009, the Portland Boulevard station of the Los Angeles County MetroRail system was officially named Rosa Parks Station, and the Rosa Parks Transit Center opened in downtown Detroit.
In 2010, the asteroid 284996 Rosaparks, discovered by the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, was named in Rosa Parks's memory.
On February 1, 2013, President Obama called "upon all Americans to observe this day with appropriate service, community, and education programs to honor Rosa Parks's enduring legacy" for the 100th anniversary of her birthday.
On February 4, 2013, The Henry Ford Museum designated the day as a "National Day of Courage", and the United States Postal Service unveiled a postage stamp in Rosa Parks's honor.
In 2013, a statue of Rosa Parks, sculpted by Eugene Daub and Rob Firmin, was unveiled in the National Statuary Hall at the United States Capitol, with President Obama and House Speaker John Boehner in attendance.
In 2014, a statue of Rosa Parks was dedicated at the Essex Government Complex in Newark, New Jersey.
In 2015, Rosa Parks station opened in Paris, France.
In 2015, Theoharis published her biography "The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks", arguing that the popular narrative of Parks as a "quiet" and "accidental" figure obscured her lifelong radical activism and political philosophy.
On January 4, 2016, the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit reviewed a lawsuit between the Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute for Self Development and Target, regarding the alleged infringement of Rosa Parks's rights to her name and likeness. The lawsuit concerned Target's sale of merchandise using her name. The court ruled in favor of Target, stating the use of Rosa Parks's name in items such as books, movies, and plaques was protected by Michigan's qualified privilege as they are essential to chronicling the history of the Civil Rights Movement.
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.
In 2018, Rosa Parks was portrayed by Vinette Robinson in the Doctor Who episode "Rosa", which was received positively.
In 2018, Rosa Parks's former residence was moved back to the United States, and Continuing the Conversation, a public sculpture of Parks, was unveiled on the main campus of Georgia Tech.
In 2019, Mattel released a Barbie doll in Rosa Parks's likeness as part of their "Inspiring Women" series.
In 2019, another statue of Rosa Parks was unveiled in Montgomery.
In 2020, rapper Nicki Minaj received backlash for incorporating Rosa Parks into her song "Yikes", where she rapped, "All you bitches Rosa Park, uh-oh, get your ass up", which was criticized for its inaccurate portrayal of Parks's actions.
In 2021, a bust of Rosa Parks was added to the Oval Office when Joe Biden began his presidency.
In 2022, the documentary "The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks", inspired by Theoharis's biography, was released on Peacock.
In 2023, a statue of Rosa Parks was approved for the Alabama State Capitol grounds.
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