Rosa Parks

About Rosa Parks

Biography
Fast Facts
Quotes

Rosa Parks, born February 4, 1913, was an activist in the United States’ Civil Rights Movement. She was primarily known for her refusal to give up her bus seat to a white passenger after the whites-only section was filled. U.S. Congress has referred to her as the “First Lady of Civil Rights” and “The Mother of the Freedom Movement.” Parks passed away on October 24, 2005.

1st Lady of Civil Rights

1 of the most 20 influential figures, as named by Time magazine

1976 – 12th Street renamed Rosa Parks Avenue in Detroit

35,000 protest leaflets distributed the day of her trial

40,000 protesters walked, instead of commuting, the day of her trial

1955 was the year Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to sit in the back of the bus, and also when the star of the film CARMEN JONES, Dorothy Dandridge, became the first African American woman to be nominated for an Academy Award in the leading actress category.

Martin Luther King: "Rosa Parks is a fine person. And, since it had to happen, I'm happy that it happened to a person like Mrs. Parks, for nobody can doubt the boundless outreach of her integrity."

“I have learned over the years that when one's mind is made up, this diminishes fear; knowing what must be done does away with fear.”

“I would like to be known as a person who is concerned about freedom and equality and justice and prosperity for all people.” said by Rosa on her 77th Birthday

“I would like to be remembered as a person who wanted to be free… so other people would be also free.” — 1987 PBS documentary, Eyes on the Prize

“Stand for something or you will fall for anything. Today’s mighty oak is yesterday’s nut that held its ground.”