5 Random Things About Rosa Parks: A Photo Essay

Yesterday would have been Rosa Parks 97th birthday (God rest her soul). Since we’re having issues with the weather and electricity in western North Carolina I was unable to post this yesterday. Here is a collection of images that serve as a timeline of the life of Rosa Parks.

Prior to the Montgomery Bus Boycott, Rosa Parks worked as a secretary for the NAACP. After an event, a few people were milling around in the parking lot, and somebody snapped a picture of Ms. Parks leaning on a car. Check out who’s in the background:

MLK photobombs Rosa Parks (1955)

Rosa Parks recounts the events on the day she refused to give up her seat:

“He pointed at me and said, ‘that one won’t stand up.’ The two policemen came near me and only one spoke to me. He asked me if the driver had asked me to stand up? I said, ‘yes.’ He asked me why I didn’t stand up, … I told him I didn’t think I should have to stand up. So I asked him: ‘Why do you push us around?’ And he told me, ‘I don’t know, but the law is the law and you are under arrest.’”

Rosa Parks Mugshot (1955)

Rosa Parks wasn’t the first person to refuse to give up her seat when ordered to, nor did she initially wish to organize a boycott. However, due to the publicity and support received from other civil rights activists, Parks assisted in organizing the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Due to a 1921 law prohibiting interference with the bus system, Parks was indicted again, this time in February 1956:

Rosa Parks booked for organizing the Montgomery Bus Boycott (1956)

The Montgomery Bus Boycott lasted for 13 months. Having exhausted the appeals process, the city was forced to integrate their buses on December 21, 1956. Several photographers followed Parks on that historic day, one of which snapped this epic photo:

Rosa Parks first ride at the front of the bus (1956)

Rosa Parks earned many accolades because of that fateful day over 50 years ago including the Congressional Gold Medal, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the NAACP’s Spingarn Medal, as well as being named by Time magazine as one of the 20 most influential people of the 20th century. When Rosa Parks passed away in 2005, President George W. Bush ordered all flags flown at half-staff in her honor. Also, she was given the posthumous honor of lying in state in the Capitol Rotunda. Parks was the first American, non-government official to be granted that honor, and only the second African American.

Rosa Parks receives the Presidential Medal of Freedom from Bill Clinton (1996)

At the time I was arrested I had no idea it would turn into this. It was just a day like any other day. The only thing that made it significant was that the masses of the people joined in.

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