Rosa Louise McCauley Parks was born on February 4, 1913, in Tuskegee, Alabama. Her parents, James and Leon McCauley had a divorce when Rosa was 2. Her mother moved to Pine Level Alabama to live with her parents. Rosa’s grandparents, Rosa and Sylvester Edwards were strong advocates for equality and former victims of racism. After the divorce, Rosa grew up on the Edwards family farm. Rosa had a tough childhood as she had chronic tonsillitis that left her bedridden, and underwent a tonsillectomy in fifth grade which left her with temporary blindness, but soon recovered. As a young child, she also experienced racial discrimination and activism for racial equality. Rosa’s grandparents had to defend themselves physically against racism, sometimes even with weapons, while Rosa defended herself against the white bullies physically as well.
Rosa’s mother taught her to read at a young age. Even though Rosa attended School, the one-room school lacked supplies and desks. African American students like Rosa were forced to walk to school till 6th grade, while there were buses and new school buildings for white kids. At age 11, Rosa transferred to the Industrial School for Girls in Montgomery Alabama for secondary education. But, Rosa had to leave school in 11th grade to help her mother and grandmother. Her first job, but eventually earned her High School degree in 1933. In 1932, when Rosa was 19 she met Raymond Parks, a barber. They got married till she passed away, but never had any kids.
Rosa Parks was on her way home from a Montgomery department store and she boarded a bus according to the Montgomery code, public transportation was segregated. Rosa Parks was sitting near the front, and when the buzz began to fill with White passengers, she was told to move to the back of the bus. The bus driver didn’t like that several white passengers were standing and noticed Rosa sitting. The bus driver told Rosa to get out of her seat, but when she refused the police were called. Rosa was arrested, and she was fined $14.00. After this, a protest was started for Rosa Parks and African Americans didn’t use public transportation, so less money was being earned by the transportation companies. After protests from Rosa Parks and other influential African American people in June 1956, the segregation laws were declared unconstitutional. Rosa published 3 books about her life, and her husband had passed away in 1977. On October 24, 2005, Rosa quietly died in her apartment in Detroit at the age of 92.
