Rosa Parks: A Kind of Courage That Reshaped Our Country

“You must never be fearful about what you are doing when it is right.” 
-Rosa Parks

On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama during the Civil Rights Movement. Her moral conviction gave her the strength to start a 381 day Montgomery Bus Boycott, creating a massive rebellious movement that ultimately ended bus segregation. She was a longtime civil rights leader and was tired of the unjust segregation. Rosa Parks showed moral courage by standing up for her beliefs and inspired the country that everyday citizens can spark change and reshape history. Her brave refusal to give up her seat made a dramatic impact on the country because it precipitated the massive boycott led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and ultimately the 1956 Supreme Court ruling that declared bus segregation was unconstitutional. She continued to fight for justice as a civil rights leader and co-founded the Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute for Self-Development in 1987 to share the history of the Civil Rights Movement. She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1996 and the Congressional Gold Medal in 1999 for her profound bravery.

Rosa Parks depicted how one can have courage that might not be outwardly bold or physical, but actually can be internal. She did this by staying true to her faith and moral code to fight injustice, and despite her internal fears, she advocated for civil rights and navigated a moral dilemma with courage.