Rosa Parks

Rosa Parks passed away on October 24, 2005, at the age of 92 in Detroit, Michigan. Her death marked the end of a life dedicated to the struggle for civil rights and social justice. Parks was honored with a lying in state in the Capitol Rotunda, a rare tribute for a private citizen.

On September 9, 1999, Rosa Parks was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal, one of the highest civilian honors in the United States. The award recognized her pivotal role in the Civil Rights Movement and her lifelong dedication to the cause of racial equality and justice.

In 1987, Rosa Parks co-founded the Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute for Self Development with Elaine Eason Steele. The institute was established to provide youth with educational programs and leadership training, continuing Parks' lifelong commitment to civil rights and social justice.

In 1965, Rosa Parks began working as a secretary and receptionist for U.S. Representative John Conyers in Detroit. Her role in Conyers' office allowed her to continue advocating for civil rights and social justice, addressing issues such as housing, education, and employment discrimination.

In 1957, Rosa and Raymond Parks moved to Detroit, Michigan, seeking employment opportunities and to escape the constant threats and harassment they faced in Alabama. In Detroit, Rosa continued her civil rights work, focusing on issues of housing and employment discrimination.

On November 13, 1956, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a lower court's decision in Browder v. Gayle, ruling that segregation on public buses was unconstitutional. This landmark decision effectively ended the Montgomery Bus Boycott and marked a significant victory for the Civil Rights Movement.

The Montgomery Bus Boycott began on December 5, 1955, in response to Rosa Parks' arrest. Organized by civil rights leaders, including Martin Luther King Jr., the boycott lasted over a year and resulted in a Supreme Court ruling that segregation on public buses was unconstitutional.

On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks was arrested in Montgomery, Alabama, for refusing to give up her seat to a white passenger on a city bus. Her act of defiance became a pivotal moment in the Civil Rights Movement, sparking the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

In 1943, Rosa Parks joined the Montgomery chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). She became the chapter's secretary, working alongside E.D. Nixon to address issues of racial injustice and discrimination in the community.

Rosa McCauley married Raymond Parks, a barber and an active member of the NAACP, on December 18, 1932. Raymond's involvement in civil rights activism had a profound impact on Rosa, encouraging her to become more involved in the movement herself.

Rosa Louise McCauley was born on February 4, 1913, in Tuskegee, Alabama. She grew up in a time of pervasive racial segregation in the Southern United States. Her early life was marked by the challenges of living in a racially divided society, which would later influence her activism.