“Rosa Parks held no elected office. She was not born into wealth or power. Yet sixty years ago today, Rosa Parks changed America” – Barack Obama (Carissimo, 2015)
In December 1955, Rosa Parks unintentionally kick-started a series of events leading up to equal rights between races. Refusing to give up her seat on the bus triggered a chain of incidents, leading to the Montgomery Bus Boycott, the African-American Civil Rights Movement and the emerge of famous activists. Moreover, it showed how effective peaceful and non-violent protests were, and how small deeds can contribute to extensive change. Through hard work, dedication and cooperation, Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott changed the American …show more content…
They showed how peaceful demonstrations and non-violent resistance were just as effective as violent insurrection. By showing his commitment to non-violence, he advocated non-violent resistance as a concept (Anon., u.d.). In addition, Rosa Parks displayed how small changes can make a big difference. She refused to give her seat to a white man, nothing else. Still, as Obama told The Independent in 2005; Rosa Parks changed America. She showed us how there is always something to do, and it is always within our power to make the world a better place (Carissimo, 2015). She proved that it is possible to make a stand against an unjust law (Ifawley, 2010). With her protest and the bus boycott, people learnt that one could rebel against the authorities without …show more content…
Board of Education. The “separate but equal”-doctrine was a policy in which blacks and whites would have the same services, but in isolated rooms (Anon., u.d.). As mentioned earlier, the Brown v. Board of Education was a court case in which the US Supreme Court declared separate public schools for blacks and whites were unconstitutional. This decision overruled the “separate but equal”-doctrine, and the American society were one step closer to full-on equal rights.
As you can see, Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott had an immense impact on the development of the US society. By refusing to give up her seat, Parks inspired countless new activists and managed to mobilise the African-American community. The message spread throughout the entire nation and drew enormous amounts of attention from all over the world. Martin Luther King Jr. was put in the spotlight, and demonstrated non-violent resistance with the help of Rosa Parks. In the end, the US winded up with equal rights between races. Who knows where the world would be today without Rosa Parks’ unintentional