Monday, October 17, 2011

Challenges for Black Women- Rosa Parks

Who is Rosa Parks?
A black women, who worked as a seamstress from Montgomery, Alabama and challenged women's rights as well as segregation laws in the South.

What did she do?
Rosa Parks challenged the laws of segregation two times, both with different situations involving the city bus system in which she refused to either get on the back of the bus, or refuse to give up her seat to someone else.

The First Challenge:
In 1943, Miss Parks was thrown off of a city bus because she refused to get on through the back door as black citizens were supposed to. After this incident some of the city bus drivers started refusing to let her on the buses all together. This story made headline news and citizens of Montgomery were shocked that someone would stand up for black rights, let alone, a women. Parks created a major uproar between black and white citizens of the city.

The Second Challenge:
In 1955, the bold and brave Rosa Parks was, once again, on a city bus when she refused to give up her seat to a white person, named James Blake, who just so happened to be the driver that had kicked her off of a bus 12 years prior. This stirred around the city and created a huge commotion, also making headlines in the newspapers. Many could not believe that she was acting out again against the law. How could a black women be so disrepectful to a white citizen seemed to be the most asked question. Parks sparked a major change with the black community, as well as women's rights in the city of Montgomery, Alabama challenging the laws of segregation.

What were the consequences?
Rosa Parks was arrested immediately and now faced fines that were considered breaking the segregation laws which stated, "Black Americans must vacate their seats if there are white passengers left standing." She was a strong and independent woman who was going to stand up for herself and fight for her rights in order to make the world a little less corrupt. She stated "I would like to be remembered as a person who wanted to be free...so other people would also be free." Although the consequences were minimal, Parks did not give up.

Impact on today:
Today, Rosa Parks is known all around the world. Her bravery and efforts will forever be remembered throughout the entire United States, and especially the South. She stood up for herself, her people, and her rights in order to change the ways of the world. If it was not for Parks simply standing up to a white man on a city bus, segregation laws and women's rights may not have ever sparked a change. The newspaper records show just how shocking and impacting Rosa Parks was in the city of Montgomery, and ultimately throughout the entire South. Parks, today, is seen as an extremely brave women who refused to let the laws forbidding colored people to do certain things make a difference in her life. Although consequences were given, she handled them all and kept on with her life and fighting for her rights as a colored women.

"Each person must live their life as a model for others." -Rosa Parks
This quote just goes to show that she was not just standing up for herself, but for all of the colored citizens who were treated just as unfair as she was. She was not going to stop until something was changed. Even though most changes happened after her lifetime, she will always be a brave symbol in the past that sparked a major change with segregation.

Erica Hendzel

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