Rosa McCauley was born on February 4th, 1913, in Tuskegee, Alabama. Rosa started school in Pine Level, Alabama, in 1918. After years of learning in Pine Level, Rosa switched to Montgomery, Alabama, in 1924. In 1929, she had to leave school to care for her grandmother. Three years later, in December 1932, she married Raymond Parks. On October 24th, 2005, Rosa Parks passed away. Although Rosa herself is dead, her legend lives on.

One of Rosa's most obvious obstacles was being a black woman, so she had very little rights. As I mentioned in my paragraph about her background, she had to leave school to look after her grandmother. In 1943, she tried to register to vote, but was denied privileges. She was denied again in 1944. Once, she lost privileges to ride the bus for a while because she entered from the front (black people were supposed to enter from the back).

On December 1st, 1955, Rosa Parks was arrested in Montgomery for not giving up her bus seat to a white man. Four days later, on December 5th, 1955, Rosa stood trial and was found guilty. Her move encouraged the Civil Rights Movement. To top off her troubles, in 1977, Raymond Parks passed away, followed by her mother in 1979.

Although Rosa Parks had many obstacles to overcome, it seems each obstacle had led to an accomplishment. To start, in 1933, although she left it for awhile, she received her high school degree. In 1945, she finally received her voting certificate. Even though being arrested in Montgomery is considered one of her obstacles, it is also considered an accomplishment because it encouraged the Civil Rights Movement. The same day Rosa stood her trial, the Montgomery Bus Boycott started. Many years later, on February 21st, 1991, a bust of Rosa Parks was put in the Smithsonain Institute, which is a museum in Washington, D.C.

While researching Rosa Parks, I was very surprised at how much interesting and unlikely information I wouldn't expect that I found. First, I did not know she met Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It was also interesting to learn that she participated in the Selma-to-Montgomery, which consisted of people fighting for voting rights. The people would walk up to twelve miles a day and sleep in fields at night. Another thing I didn't expect to be there was the fact that in 1999, Rosa Parks met Nelson Mandela, an African-American Civil Rights leader, in Detriot, Michigan. Rosa and her husband also established the "Rosa and Raymond Parks Institution for Self-Development."

I chose to write about Rosa Parks because I think she is a huge inspiration for equality. She has a huge influence on why black people are treated with many more rights today than before that day in 1955. She is truly an African-American hero.

-TlTANlC

Author's Notes: Sources:
-Rosa Parks: My Story, by Rosa Parks
-Rosa Parks and Her Fight For Civil Rights, by Phillip Steel