On December, 1, 1955 in Montgomery, Alabama, Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a city bus to a white man. She was arrested for disorderly conduct. This lead to the Montgomery Bus Boycott which lasted over a year until the Supreme Court found segregated public transportation to be unconstitutional and ordered Montgomery officials to integrate the service.
Many historians note December 1, 1955, as the beginning of the modern civil rights movement in the U.S.
From 1965 until her retirement, Rosa Parks worked for U.S. Representative John Conyers of Michigan. In 1999 she was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal of Honor.
Related categories 3
Sites 9
Loading new listings for you to review...
- Rosa Parks and the Bus Boycott Tells the story of Parks' arrest on the 1st of December, 1955, for not standing and letting a white bus rider take her seat.
- Grand Times: The Woman Who Changed a Nation Biographical article based on 1996 interview with Parks.
- Academy of Achievement: Rosa Parks Biography and 1995 interview with audio and video.
- Time 100: Heroes and Icons: Rosa Parks Article by Rita Dove honoring Ms. Parks as one of the twenty most influential heroes and icons of the 20th century.
- CNN: Rosa Parks Honored with Congressional Gold Medal Article and video coverage of the event with links.
- Scholastic: Rosa Parks: How I Fought for Civil Rights An online activity for grades 7 and 8 about Parks' arrest, the boycott, nonviolence, and the court ruling, with an interview.
- Cincinnati Enquirer: Rosa Parks Argues vs. Rap Article by Dan Horn about the arguments made before the U.S. Court of Appeals.
- BBC News: US civil rights icon Parks dies BBC tribute to Rosa Parks including archive footage, photos, and link to an obituary.
- Washington Post: Washington Prepares To Pay Rosa Parks Rare Tribute at Capitol Becomes one of only 30 Americans ever honored with the pomp and ritual of a Capitol Rotunda viewing.