Rosa Parks's Success and Achievements in Timeline
A success timeline featuring the most significant achievements of Rosa Parks.
Rosa Parks, an American activist, played a crucial role in the civil rights movement, most notably sparking the Montgomery bus boycott. Her refusal to give up her seat to a white passenger on a segregated bus in 1955 led to her arrest and the subsequent boycott, a watershed moment in the fight against racial segregation. Parks became an enduring symbol of resistance and is revered as "the first lady of civil rights" and "the mother of the freedom movement" by the U.S. Congress for her courageous act and lasting impact.
1945: Parks Successfully Registers to Vote
In 1945, after several attempts beginning in 1943, Rosa Parks successfully registered to vote, overcoming the obstacles faced by Black people in Alabama.
December 1, 1955: Parks Refuses to Give Up Bus Seat
On December 1, 1955, in Montgomery, Alabama, Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a bus to a white passenger, defying segregation laws and sparking the Montgomery Bus Boycott.
December 4, 1955: Montgomery Bus Boycott Plans Announced
On Sunday, December 4, 1955, plans for the Montgomery bus boycott were announced at black churches, and an article in the Montgomery Advertiser helped spread the word, leading to the agreement to continue the boycott until certain demands were met.
November 1956: Bus Segregation Ruled Unconstitutional
In November 1956, the Browder v. Gayle case resulted in a federal decision declaring bus segregation unconstitutional under the 14th Amendment, marking a significant victory in the fight against segregation.
1956: Post-Boycott Strategy Meeting and Sugar Bowl Riots
In 1956, following the success of the one-day boycott, a group gathered to discuss strategies, where Rosa Parks was introduced and received a standing ovation. This movement also sparked riots leading up to the 1956 Sugar Bowl.
1979: Parks Receives NAACP Spingarn Medal
In 1979, Rosa Parks received the NAACP's Spingarn Medal, a prestigious award recognizing her contributions to civil rights.
1994: The Rosa Parks Highway
In 1994, the Missouri legislature voted to name a section of highway the "Rosa Parks Highway" after the Ku Klux Klan applied to sponsor that portion of United States Interstate 55.
2002: Academy Award Nomination and Film Release
In 2002, Mighty Times: The Legacy of Rosa Parks received a nomination for the Academy Award for Documentary Short Subject. Also in 2002, the film The Rosa Parks Story, starring Angela Bassett, was released, alongside the film Barbershop, which caused controversy.
2004: Rent Forgiveness Amid Eviction Publicity
In 2004, executives of the ownership company forgave Rosa Parks' back rent and allowed her to live rent-free in her apartment for the remainder of her life after her impending eviction was publicized.
October 27, 2005: City Buses Reserved in Honor of Parks
On October 27, 2005, officials in Montgomery and Detroit announced that the front seats of their city buses would be reserved with black ribbons in honor of Rosa Parks until her funeral.
October 31, 2005: Parks Lies in Honor in the U.S. Capitol
On October 31, 2005, Rosa Parks lay in honor in the rotunda of the U.S. Capitol, the first American who had not been a U.S. government official to be honored in this way. An estimated 50,000 people viewed the casket, and the event was broadcast on television.
2005: Parks Lies in Honor at the Capitol Rotunda
Upon her death in 2005, Rosa Parks became the first woman to lie in honor in the Capitol Rotunda, a tribute to her significant impact on American history.
