Rosa Parks: How One Bold Decision Made a World Leader

Introduction: The Impact of Rude Comments

Imagine walking down the street and you hear someone from across the street or even right next to you saying or yelling some rude comments, comments that bring your whole self-esteem down. But do not just imagine it for one day, imagine if it were happening constantly day after day, week after week, year after year. But honestly, I believe that even just trying to imagine it you really could not because one was not physically there to experience what others felt, and what they were going through every day. But do we ever stop to wonder what it did feel like? If I were to ask this to any person they would most likely say no. Why? Because they do not think of the things others had to go through to get to the point where we are today. The racial injustices had been present for many years from the 1900s to now. But, what we can say is that our country today is way more respectful of one another than they were centuries ago. If we look back at some of the most important events that occurred that contributed to the change, one of them would have to be the event that occurred with Rosa Parks. Rosa Parks played a huge role in changing the society’s racial injustices because of what she did.

Rosa Parks: How One Bold Decision Made a World Leader

Rosa Parks, an activist, and a woman with a whole lot of courage was arrested on December 1, 1955, after refusing to give up her seat to a white passenger on the bus. Before Rosa Parks did all of this, we should keep in mind that she was a veteran of black politics, she took part in protests, served as a secretary to E.D. Nixon, and was turned away because she failed a test, only to succeed in becoming one of the few African Americans to cast a ballot. Rosa Parks, in my eyes, was an activist who was very passionate about seeing a change in the racial injustice of society. After an earlier plan had failed by civil rights activists, Rosa Parks was the person that actually stood up for the fight for racial equality. Rosa Parks made a lot of life-changing decisions when she decided to stay in her seat on the bus. I would say this because I think Rosa Parks willingly knew she was going to lose a lot of her freedom. She knew she was going to go to jail by not following the law, but she did it anyway to stand up for something she deeply wanted to change in her society.

The Courage Behind the Decision

Rosa Parks had to have known that standing up for her rights was not going to be anything easy, but she did it for good reasons. I think that her main motives were because she grew tired of constantly having to see her family, friends, or community being treated harshly. Every day it was something, whether it was rude comments, being racially segregated, having fewer opportunities than others, or being physically harmed. I believe that she knew that if she wanted to make a positive change in society, she would have to start somewhere small. This, in my opinion, made her start with segregation on the buses. Rosa Parks was a great activist who gained a lot of attention after being arrested. I think that if it had been a different person, it would not have been as effectual because Rosa Parks took part in many organizations and protests that allowed her to be seen by many.

The Aftermath of Rosa Parks' Arrest

So, what actually took place after Rosa Parks' arrest that advocated for racial equality? To start off, after many people heard of Rosa Parks being arrested, many African Americans went to a local church and solemnly promised to refuse to ride the bus until they were guaranteed equal treatment. This boycott lasted 381 days. Now imagine 381 days of full harassment, violence, long-distance walking, etc. These people were fully committed to not only speaking out on what Rosa Parks started but also taking action until something was done about it. In these 381 days, nobody knew if they were actually going to gain anything out of it, but they most certainly did by staying fully motivated to this goal. I think that many of these people also grew tired of being treated unfairly, so they began boycotting with the rest of their community. I believe that anybody who was involved in the boycotting was very brave because they stood their ground with what was happening to them in order to achieve triumph. In addition, the boycott inspired the movement for racial justice, which gained the support of many people, along with Martin Luther King Jr. being a part of the movement as a pastor. There were many other events that occurred after the incident of Rosa Parks' arrest that brought them one step closer to racial equality.

Rosa Parks' Legacy and Influence

If I were to give an opinion on what Rosa Parks did, I would most certainly say she did the right thing. Although she did end up in jail, with a fine, I think that it was worth it because, at the end of the day, she got a lot of support that ended in boycotting, and it got many others to speak out on the situation. Thus, being said, it was a great start to making a change in society, into a society Rosa Parks wanted to see. Rosa Parks was a great influence on many and still is one because this allows people to see that everyone has a voice in this world, and it can be shown in different ways, whether it's protesting, participating in groups, speaking it out yourself, or by the actions that one makes.

Conclusion: A Lasting Impact

Overall, Rosa Parks was a remarkable person, a woman who had a good interest in not only her family but everyone’s overall racial treatment by whites. The incident that occurred changed a lot of people’s views as well as made people come together as a community to fight for their equality as they deserve. Rosa Parks was a huge influence on today’s society and the past society. I can’t even begin to imagine how much Rosa Parks actually went through to get to the point in her life where she began to want to take action that led her to not giving up her seat on the bus. Rosa Parks’ decision was a pivotal moment that resonated with many and continues to inspire those fighting for justice and equality.

References

[1] Theoharis, J. (2013). The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks. Beacon Press.

[2] Haskins, J. (1999). Rosa Parks: My Story. Puffin Books.

[3] Brinkley, D. (2000). Rosa Parks. Viking Juvenile.