Rosa Parks

Cecilia Donohue (Independent Scholar - North America)
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Rosa Parks has never led a Civil Rights March or made a stirring speech to supporters of racial equality, yet she stands as an important, iconic figure in the history of Civil Rights progress in the United States. Her gesture – refusal to give up her seat on a crowded bus in 1955 Montgomery Alabama to a Caucasian male – provided the impetus for the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark decision on segregation laws. Her act of passive resistance continues to inspire people of all colors in the continuing struggle for equality, and, in recent years, her name has surfaced in works of literature and contemporary popular culture.

Born Rosa McCauley in Tuskegee, Alabama, she was the oldest child and only daughter of James and Leona McCauley. Leona was a teacher, while James worked in

2267 words

Citation: Donohue, Cecilia. "Rosa Parks". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 22 January 2004; last revised 10 November 2005. [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=5606, accessed 19 March 2024.]

5606 Rosa Parks 1 Historical context notes are intended to give basic and preliminary information on a topic. In some cases they will be expanded into longer entries as the Literary Encyclopedia evolves.

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