How Did Rosa Parks Affect The Civil Rights Movement

On December 1, 1955 Rosa Parks, active NAACP member, headed home from work on a bus like any other day. In Montgomery, the first 10 seats on city bus were strictly reserved for white people. Blacks were allowed to sit in those first few seats as long as a white person was not in the need of it, but if a black person was sitting there it was their job to get up to accommodate that white person. Rosa Parks however, refused to move even after being threatened to have the police summoned to arrest her. Her response was simply, “you may do that” (Chappell). Mrs.Parks stayed unwavering in her decision, and minutes later she was arrested at the Empire Theatre bus stop on Lee Street. Those four words were the most courageous words she could have spoken. Not only was Rosa Parks an African American living in the highly racial South, she was a woman, which made the severity of the situation even more
She became an example for all that were seeking racial equality and in many ways an example for anyone to stand up for what they believe in.
A direct result of that was the Montgomery Bus Boycotts, which began on December 5, 1955. The boycott was a message from the African American community expressing how they wanted the segregation of bus seats to be abolished. It was intended to last a day but continued for over a year. That law was later ratified in June of 1956. Her example lead to that success.
Today, there are things that are unjust in terms of people’s civil, racial, and religious rights— much like they were during the Civil Rights Era. There is a great need for a Rosa Parks character. A great need for someone who will stand up for what is right. Her legacy gives people the hope that even through difficult situations a good outcome can still