Dec 1 1955 : Rosa Parks refuses to give up her seat on a bus

[Jeff High]

Rosa Parks, 42, is arrested for refusing to relinquish her seat on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama--an act that is in direct violation of a city ordinance requiring black people to ride in the rear of the bus. Three days after the incident, she was found guilty and ordered to pay a $10 fine, plus an additional $4 in court costs.

Parks was actually sitting in the first row that had been assigned to black people in the rear of the vehicle, but because the front of the bus was full, the driver demanded that she give her seat to a white rider. Her refusal to give up her seat, and the controversy that ensued, resulted in a local boycott, for which Parks and 88 others were arrested in February 1956. In spite of this obstacle, the protest lasted more than a year, until the Supreme Court ruled that the Montgomery ordinance was unconstitutional. On December 21, 1956, Parks was able to ride in the front of the bus.

More important, however, Parks' act of civil disobedience inspired a nationwide civil rights movement that would last almost a decade. In 1964, protesters were victorious when Congress passed the Civil Rights Act, which guaranteed full access to all public facilities throughout the nation.

Rosa Parks died on October 24, 2005. Three days later the U.S. Senate passed a resolution to honor Parks by allowing her body to lie in honor in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda.


History channel

[Woodmonkey]

Originally Posted by Jeff High

Parks was actually sitting in the first row that had been assigned to black people in the rear of the vehicle, but because the front of the bus was full, the driver demanded that she give her seat to a white rider. Her refusal to give up her seat, and the controversy that ensued, resulted in a local boycott, for which Parks and 88 others were arrested in February 1956.

It's hard to imagine the repression of those times before the Civil Rights act. They were real though and a disgrace to all freedom loving Americans.

I saw a show on the History channel last night about the Civil Rights activists who went down to the South in the 60's and how the KKK murdered them. One that stands out particularly, at least for me, was a pregnant mother of five who was killed for the 'crime' of driving a Black man.

The KKK terrorized people and tried to crush those who went against them.

More important, however, Parks' act of civil disobedience inspired a nationwide civil rights movement that would last almost a decade. In 1964, protesters were victorious when Congress passed the Civil Rights Act, which guaranteed full access to all public facilities throughout the nation.

What an amazing and courageous woman who maintained dignity throughout her life. What an inspiration and role model for women.

[BonnieBlue]

I applaud Rosa Parks for her courage in defiance of one of the most brutal social laws in history.......Jim Crow. It took many years before true equality was reached, but it finally came to be. That's why I get so upset when these race baiters still moan and whine about injustice today demanding reparitions for slavery that are totally undeserved, in my humble opinion. Those who faced the police dogs, fire hoses, segregation, Bull Connor ilk and terrorism of the KKK are the true heroes and paved the way for the likes of Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton and Louis Farrakhan types to spew their nonsense when all one has to do is look at the Condi' Rices, the Herman Cain's, the Michael Steele's and the Ken Blackwell's of today to realize that minorities are only held down by their own choices and not a repressive government like so many would have us think. I think Dr. King would turn over in his grave if he saw what was going on today........that his dream has turned into a nighmare of disrespect of what he stood for. I highly recommend "KKK- A Secret History" for a grasp of just what happened from Reconstruction to the 1960's. You might be suprised to see how the original concept of the KKK was hijacked by a radical element of society that lasted and thrived for way too long.

[Snowden]

Originally Posted by BonnieBlue

I applaud Rosa Parks for her courage in defiance of one of the most brutal social laws in history.......Jim Crow. It took many years before true equality was reached, but it finally came to be. That's why I get so upset when these race baiters still moan and whine about injustice today demanding reparitions for slavery that are totally undeserved, in my humble opinion. Those who faced the police dogs, fire hoses, segregation, Bull Connor ilk and terrorism of the KKK are the true heroes and paved the way for the likes of Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton and Louis Farrakhan types to spew their nonsense when all one has to do is look at the Condi' Rices, the Herman Cain's, the Michael Steele's and the Ken Blackwell's of today to realize that minorities are only held down by their own choices and not a repressive government like so many would have us think. I think Dr. King would turn over in his grave if he saw what was going on today........that his dream has turned into a nighmare of disrespect of what he stood for. I highly recommend "KKK- A Secret History" for a grasp of just what happened from Reconstruction to the 1960's. You might be suprised to see how the original concept of the KKK was hijacked by a radical element of society that lasted and thrived for way too long.

Our oldest son was a vicar in Charleston, SC, when the KKK decided to march there. The Sheriff - I forget his name, but almost as good (if not quite as good) as Sheriff Arpaio. He was a man of color, I believe, and a Jew by faith - and he gave them such a talking to before they started, limited where they could go. And the beauty of it was they had to take his orders and obey them. My son loved it.

[Woodmonkey]

Originally Posted by BonnieBlue

I applaud Rosa Parks for her courage in defiance of one of the most brutal social laws in history.......Jim Crow. It took many years before true equality was reached, but it finally came to be. That's why I get so upset when these race baiters still moan and whine about injustice today demanding reparitions for slavery that are totally undeserved, in my humble opinion. Those who faced the police dogs, fire hoses, segregation, Bull Connor ilk and terrorism of the KKK are the true heroes and paved the way for the likes of Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton and Louis Farrakhan types to spew their nonsense when all one has to do is look at the Condi' Rices, the Herman Cain's, the Michael Steele's and the Ken Blackwell's of today to realize that minorities are only held down by their own choices and not a repressive government like so many would have us think.

I agree. Thanks to those like Rosa Parks, Blacks (and others) don't have repressive governments to hold them down.

As for reparations, all who's ancestors weren't here during those times (like me, a second generation born here), who didn't own slaves, who fought in the Union Army, etc would have to be excluded from paying them.

Also, Blacks who's ancestors weren't here during slavery days, who aren't mostly Black, who's ancestors weren't the Africans who hunted down and enslaved their own kind and then sold them to Europeans to bring here, etc would have to be excluded from getting reparations.

Reparations are a horrid idea. The people who were slaves and who suffered are all long dead. Their descendents were born free.

I think Dr. King would turn over in his grave if he saw what was going on today........that his dream has turned into a nighmare of disrespect of what he stood for.

I think he would too. He dreamed of a rainbow society where race didn't matter.

I highly recommend "KKK- A Secret History" for a grasp of just what happened from Reconstruction to the 1960's. You might be suprised to see how the original concept of the KKK was hijacked by a radical element of society that lasted and thrived for way too long.

That was a horrible organization. They gained control of Oregon in the 20's and tried to shut down the Catholic schools. That case went all the way to the Supreme Court and was declared unconstitutional.

They hated Catholics, Blacks and Jews and did their best to repress them. It matters not how they started. only what they are now and have been for decades.

[BonnieBlue]

I think over the years the KKK has relegated itself to a mob of hating boobs. They've been sued into being not much more than that. Ignorance still abounds under the guise of White Supremist groups and hopefully like the KKK their glory days will soon be a thing of the past. Funny though, WE stamp out the KKK types and now the Black Muslims, the New Black Panther Party and those like them are trying to stir the pot of hatred and bigotry. These people, just like the Klan need to be villified and ignored and perhaps they will just go away.