December 01, 2010

55 Years Ago Today, Rosa Parks Made History

Rosa Parks refused to move to the back of the bus on this day, 55 years ago.

This is a story I heard over and over as a child in school, but haven't revisited until now. Rosa Parks was 42 years old at the time when she got on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama. The bus driver demanded that she move to the back of the bus, to the black section, so a white passenger could have her seat. Parks refused and was arrested and convicted of disorderly conduct.

Parks' event triggered Martin Luther King, Jr. to organize a 381-day boycott of the public transportation system in Montgomery.

To learn about Rosa Parks, see Enslow's book: Rosa Parks: "Tired of Giving Up"

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