Rosa Parks was a Black civil rights activist whose refusal to give up her bus seat to a white man ignited the American civil rights movement. Because she played a leading role in the Montgomery bus boycott, she is called the ‘mother of the civil rights movement.’
Civil rights activist Rosa Parks sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott that partially ended racial segregation. Read about her birth, accomplishments, and more.
Eventually, Rosa was elected secretary of the Montgomery chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). By the time Parks boarded the bus in 1955, she was an established organizer and leader in the Civil Rights Movement in Alabama.
Rosa Parks sees the energy of young people as a real force for change. It is among her most treasured themes of human priorities as she speaks to young people of all ages at schools, colleges, and national organizations around the world.
Rosa Parks occupies an iconic status in the civil rights movement after she refused to vacate a seat on a bus in favor of a white passenger in Montgomery, Alabama.
Learn about her pivotal role in working toward social justice and equality for Black Americans. As one of the most prominent figures in the American Civil Rights Movement, Rosa Parks’ unwavering determination and pivotal role in challenging racial segregation has solidified her place in history.
Born in Alabama on Feb. 4, 1913, Rosa Louise McCauley had a determined spirit that was nurtured by her mother and grandparents. She chafed under the strictures of segregation. In 1931, she met Raymond Parks, a politically active barber, and they married in 1932.