Black History Month Spotlight: Rosa Parks

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With a nation on the precipice of great change as calls for racial equality continue to ring, the story of the Civil Rights Movement continues to serve as a beacon of hope. It was a chapter in history that told of the country’s greatest men and women uniting to tackle centuries-old injustice and succeeding in opening the door for future generations to carry on the fight for freedom. However stories of Black Americans rising up above an oppressive system and achieving spectacular feats is not exclusive to the Civil Rights Movement; rather this country sports a rich history of such inspiring individuals who have done just that. From refusing to give up a bus seat to making ground-breaking discoveries, The Shield would like to honor the trail-blazing African-Americans who have benefited all of society with their bravery and determination. The focus of this week’s spotlight- Rosa Parks.

 

Born in Tuskegee, Alabama on February 4, 1913, Parks spent much of her childhood seeing firsthand the brutal racism of the South. She went to a segregated school, which often lacked the proper supplies delegated to the White-only schools. Moreover, both of her grandparents were former slaves and fierce advocates for racial equality, a desire that would motivate Parks to stand up against tyranny herself in an act that would make her one of the defining voices of the Civil Rights Movement.

 

According to Montgomery City policy, buses were to be segregated, with African Americans sitting in the back of the bus while Whites could sit in the front. This designation of an inferior position for people of color was just one more reflection of the racism that gripped the South, yet it was the way of life that most had grown accustomed to. Not Miss Parks. After a tiring day of work at a department store, she boarded the Clevenue Avenue Bus and intended to go home. However, when the bus became more and more crowded with White people who stood in the aisles, the bus driver instructed four African Americans to forgo their seats so the whites would have a place to sit. Three of them complied- Rosa Parks did not. Despite the fury of the bus driver and the assured threat of consequence, Rosa Parks did not give an inch to her oppressors, calmly telling the driver “I don’t think I should have to stand up.” Flush with anger, the driver called the police and had Parks arrested.

 

Rosa Park’s astounding act of courage proved to be the shot heard around the nation. Igniting the passion of those in her community, Parks’ arrest inspired the Montgomery Bus Boycott where Black Montgomerians strained from using public transit in a protest that would last 381 days and end in the Supreme Court declaring segregation on public transportation unconstitutional. This marvelous display of unified commitment towards abolishing an unjust law was just the beginning of tearing down the discriminatory systems of America.

 

It is impossible to know where this country would be if not for Rosa Parks’ bravery that Monday evening. With just the simple act of sitting down, Parks inspired a country to stand up against the evils of racism. Rosa Parks continues to be a symbol of justice for millions around the world, as her timeless story serves as a reminder of the power just one person can have when they use their voice.