Rosa Parks
Katie Davis 7th
Who is Rosa Parks?
Rosa Parks was a civil rights activist who refused to give up her seat on a segregated bus to a white man on December 1, 1955. Due to her actions, the Montgomery Bus System boycott was born leading to the integration of buses. Parks was the third woman to refuse to give up her seat on a bus to a white person, although many say since she was such a well respected woman, people began to follow her.
Rosa Parks when she was arrested after refusing to give up her seat.
A picture of Parks sitting on a bus in front of a white man.
Parks as an older woman before dying in 2005.
Rosa Parks and the Mongomery bus boycott
How Rosa Parks relates to Henry Thoreau
Rosa Parks is a great example of a figure that embodies the spirit of civil disobedience defined by Henry David Thoreau. Thoreau states in his essay that "unjust laws exist: shall we be content to obey them, or shall we endeavor to amend them, and obey them until we have succeeded, or shall we transgress them at once?" (Thoreau). Parks proved that it is not okay to just sit around unhappy with what is going on around you, but to instead take action just a Thoreau advises. It is important to make a difference when given the opportunity instead of just going along with what everyone says is right.