For over 15 years, Rosa Parks is not with us, but her actions made us speak about her for the whole time when touching a civil rights subject. As people said, this person is one of the most iconic fighters for “colored people” rights. Besides the attempts to change her, she won and changed society. Rosa Parks has completely changed the way people think about other races by refusing to be segregated, struggling for her rights, and remain living even when she can not even raise a glass of water.
To begin with, this woman was known by the world, especially in her home state. The most crucial situation occurred with her while sitting in the wrong place and refusing to change it. It would not become an interesting case if the seats were not divided between white and “colored” people. However, she was sitting in the white’s place, demonstrating in such way her resistance to racial segregation. This case occurred in late 1955, but its glory is continuing to rise (Woo). It is crucial to notice that Rosa Parks and all other African Americans were at the peak of racial inequality in the civilized world during her active life. The interdiction of entering some buildings from the main entrance, the refusal to sit near the white people, and the prohibition to enter and sit in public transport were some of the severest crimes against human rights. As a result, Rosa Parks’ protest completely changed society’s attitude to the racial issue. White people began discussing the problem and presenting their views to each other, African American people begun refusing to confirm the inadequate law. However, the most significant impact was that the society started speaking about inequality, not about the “drawbacks” of African Americans.
Moreover, some individuals became known to the world right after that case, so it is assumed that Rosa Parks’ protest influenced not only society but also some particular individuals. For example, near that time, Martin Luther King became known to society due to his famous speeches. Though this person remained a significant trace on the racial conflict resolving, Rosa Parks was that individual who awaked in him such intentions.
Nevertheless, as expected, Parks was not completely recognized. Many people were trying to punish her for the intentions of equality by even sending her some death threats for over the life. On the other hand, the most significant action was taken by her employer, who dismissed Rosa Parks from the job in Montgomery, so that she had to go to Detroit with her family (Theoharis). Even though she received national recognition at the end of her professional life, she could increase the efficiency of her work by cooperating with Martin Luther King. That tandem would become so influential that they could ruin the whole inequality order at the peak of their civil rights struggling career.
Rosa Parks was inflexible for the rest of the world. From 1955, she did not change her attitude to inequality. What is more, in 2002, when she received a note of missed rent, Rosa Parks did not take any actions to ask for help: other people made that instead of her due to Parks’ glory as a constant fighter for human rights (The Associated Press). However, even though she remained the same over time, I was strongly affected by her actions for the rest of my life. By reading her memoirs and discovering the minor aspects of her life, I became more attentive to general rules that oppress my rights. For instance, when I disclosed that she gained a prestigious literature reward, I began journaling about my observations on the human rights violations; there are 27 notes of such violations.
Overall, Rosa Parks influenced African American rights by constantly struggling with inequality in the USA. Her attempts to go against the system leave no one indifferent. She was always trying to change people’s attitude to the racial problem, and finally, she succeeded. Rosa Parks sacrificed her job and regular life to give her life to the racial segregation problem. Not only the society, but I changed my attitude to the human rights violations when examining her life path. Even when the person was near death, she did not ask others to help her; instead, others actively protected her and celebrated her actions.
References
The Associated Press. “Landlord Won’t Ask Rosa Parks to Pay Rent.” NBC News, 2004. Web.
Theoharis, J. “Opinion | The Real Rosa Parks Story Is Better Than the Fairy Tale.” The New York Times, 2021. Web.
Woo, El. “She Set Wheels of Justice in Motion.” Los Angeles Times, 2019. Web.
