Rosa Parks: My Story Story Summary
Rosa Parks: My Story is an autobiography written by Rosa McCauley Parks, the well-known African American civil-rights activist. The story tells the story of her life growing up in the south in the early 1900s when racism and segregation was law. Segregation laws kept African Americans from living in certain areas, having certain jobs, and going to certain schools. Life was difficult for Rosa and her family, but through hard work and determination, Rosa, with the help of her husband, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), and many many other activists, was able to make great change in the lives of African Americans everywhere.
In the beginning, Rosa talks about her childhood in Montgomery, Alabama. She tells about her memories of how black people were treated in the south. Her family was always prepared for confrontation with white threats like the Ku Klux Klan; her grandfather would often sit beside the front door at night with a shot gun in his lap, prepared to protect his family. Most blacks just took the abuse in stride, but others fought back. Rosa's family was one that didn't tolerate the injustice, so Rosa grew up never accepting the abuse quietly like others. When she was young, it was common for white children to bully black children on the street. Black and white students went to separate schools, so they usually didn't socialize, but when they did, it almost always consisted of rude remarks and violence being inflicted on the blacks. Rosa's intolerance of this abuse was only the beginning of her life of an activist. Asa young woman, she meet Raymond Parks, her future husband and a long-time Negro rights activist and NAACP member. He was the one who initially got Rosa officially involved as an activist. Rosa, soon after she married Parks and joined the NAACP as a secretary, became quite involved with the organization's work. She assisted in the fight to earn equal education and suffrage for people of all races. The NAACP successfully ended segregation in schools, and though they didn't do very well in gaining voting rights for all, they did move on to do other great things for people of color.
On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks was arrested on a city bus because she refused to give up her seat for a white passenger. For this offense, she was charged for violation of the segregation law. The NAACP was able to bail Rosa out of jail, and they used the opportunity to use Rosa as an example of unfair arrest due to the segregation law. The middle of the book explained all of the trouble Rosa went through after her first arrest. Risa was now seen as the catalyst for change in the segregation law. The buses in Montgomery, which were mostly used by African Americans as transportation to and from work, were greatly segregated. There was a section specifically for whites only in the front of the bus, and once this section was full, blacks in the back of the bus were forced to stand so whites could sit. Many drivers also required blacks to pay their fair in the front and then exit the bus and reenter through the back door of the bus. If these rules weren't followed, African Americans were often kicked off of the bus or even arrested. The day after Rosa was released, the NAACP had an announcement made to inform all African American rights activists that there was going to be a boycott of the bus system due to the injustices that had been faced by so many. The Monday following the arrest, December 5, most African Americans refused to ride the bus. The effect was almost immediate on the bus system, as much money was lost in just one day. and as the week passes, it only got worse as less and less people were using the bus. The boycott went on for over a year, and as a result many bus routes had to be stopped because of lack of funds. Though many people suffered consequences because for not riding the bus, like losing their jobs, or being fined or arrested for boycotting, in the end it was all worth it because the bus segregation laws were changed in favor of the NAACP's demands.
The end of the book consists of Rosa telling about her adjustment into her new life as a national symbol. There were many difficulties faced in getting whites to accept the blacks' new rights. Rosa, her family, and her colleagues were often threatened by those who were against the changes. Many of the NAACP leaders had their homes bombed by opposers, and Rosa often received threatening phone calls and lived in fear for a few months after everything was said and done. Rosa and her family moved to Detroit in search of a new life; being so popular as an activist in Alabama made it fairly difficult for Rosa and her husband to find new jobs. They eventually do find work in Detroit, and live life rather normally. Rosa and her husband later founded their own organization called the Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute for Self-Development, allowing the both of them to assist young people better themselves.
Rosa Parks: My Story is an autobiography written by Rosa McCauley Parks, the well-known African American civil-rights activist. The story tells the story of her life growing up in the south in the early 1900s when racism and segregation was law. Segregation laws kept African Americans from living in certain areas, having certain jobs, and going to certain schools. Life was difficult for Rosa and her family, but through hard work and determination, Rosa, with the help of her husband, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), and many many other activists, was able to make great change in the lives of African Americans everywhere.
In the beginning, Rosa talks about her childhood in Montgomery, Alabama. She tells about her memories of how black people were treated in the south. Her family was always prepared for confrontation with white threats like the Ku Klux Klan; her grandfather would often sit beside the front door at night with a shot gun in his lap, prepared to protect his family. Most blacks just took the abuse in stride, but others fought back. Rosa's family was one that didn't tolerate the injustice, so Rosa grew up never accepting the abuse quietly like others. When she was young, it was common for white children to bully black children on the street. Black and white students went to separate schools, so they usually didn't socialize, but when they did, it almost always consisted of rude remarks and violence being inflicted on the blacks. Rosa's intolerance of this abuse was only the beginning of her life of an activist. Asa young woman, she meet Raymond Parks, her future husband and a long-time Negro rights activist and NAACP member. He was the one who initially got Rosa officially involved as an activist. Rosa, soon after she married Parks and joined the NAACP as a secretary, became quite involved with the organization's work. She assisted in the fight to earn equal education and suffrage for people of all races. The NAACP successfully ended segregation in schools, and though they didn't do very well in gaining voting rights for all, they did move on to do other great things for people of color.
On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks was arrested on a city bus because she refused to give up her seat for a white passenger. For this offense, she was charged for violation of the segregation law. The NAACP was able to bail Rosa out of jail, and they used the opportunity to use Rosa as an example of unfair arrest due to the segregation law. The middle of the book explained all of the trouble Rosa went through after her first arrest. Risa was now seen as the catalyst for change in the segregation law. The buses in Montgomery, which were mostly used by African Americans as transportation to and from work, were greatly segregated. There was a section specifically for whites only in the front of the bus, and once this section was full, blacks in the back of the bus were forced to stand so whites could sit. Many drivers also required blacks to pay their fair in the front and then exit the bus and reenter through the back door of the bus. If these rules weren't followed, African Americans were often kicked off of the bus or even arrested. The day after Rosa was released, the NAACP had an announcement made to inform all African American rights activists that there was going to be a boycott of the bus system due to the injustices that had been faced by so many. The Monday following the arrest, December 5, most African Americans refused to ride the bus. The effect was almost immediate on the bus system, as much money was lost in just one day. and as the week passes, it only got worse as less and less people were using the bus. The boycott went on for over a year, and as a result many bus routes had to be stopped because of lack of funds. Though many people suffered consequences because for not riding the bus, like losing their jobs, or being fined or arrested for boycotting, in the end it was all worth it because the bus segregation laws were changed in favor of the NAACP's demands.
The end of the book consists of Rosa telling about her adjustment into her new life as a national symbol. There were many difficulties faced in getting whites to accept the blacks' new rights. Rosa, her family, and her colleagues were often threatened by those who were against the changes. Many of the NAACP leaders had their homes bombed by opposers, and Rosa often received threatening phone calls and lived in fear for a few months after everything was said and done. Rosa and her family moved to Detroit in search of a new life; being so popular as an activist in Alabama made it fairly difficult for Rosa and her husband to find new jobs. They eventually do find work in Detroit, and live life rather normally. Rosa and her husband later founded their own organization called the Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute for Self-Development, allowing the both of them to assist young people better themselves.