How Did Rosa Parks Impact The Civil Rights Movement

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Rosa Parks was an African American civil rights activist who played a major role in the desegregation, to promote equal rights for white and African American people in the United States. During the 1900s, segregation was becoming an increasingly serious problem in the South. There were separate bathrooms, water fountains, restaurants, schools, and other public places for blacks and whites. Rosa Parks had a strong impact on America due to her courage in a segregated America, impact on the NAACP, and legacy as a prominent black female leader in the desegregation movement.

The Jim Crow Laws of 1890 were laws that restricted the rights of African Americans. During this time, everything from water fountains to schools were segregated. …show more content…

The NAACP was formed from a small committee of signers to a fight against the poor treatment towards African Americans and the end segregation in America. The NAACP worked extra hard towards implementing the civil rights act for housing, transportation, employment, voting, schools, and recreation. After her refusal to get up from her seat, Rosa Parks became the Secretary of the Montgomery NAACP and the Youth Council Advisor. Her husband was also an active member of the NAACP (McPherson and Gerstle 2). She devoted a significant amount of her free time into fundraising for the NAACP in order to keep pushing for desegregation. She worked extra hard for the right to vote for African Americans (NAACP …show more content…

Congress. She received innumerable awards but maintained that she was unaccustomed to being a public person (Marks-Ellis 2).”

Rosa symbolized encouragement for many people around America, especially in the South. She symbolized freedom for African Americans and a leader because her and many other African American Civil Rights activists were the start to change that caused us to all be equal. To the Civil Rights Movement, Rosa Parks became, and still is very memorable because of her courage, hardwork, and persistence to making America closer to achieving racial equality.

Rosa Parks was honored numerous awards due to her courageous actions towards the desegregation movement. Some of her awards include the Spingarn Medal, Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Congressional Gold Medal (McPherson and Gerstle 2), Martin Luther King Jr. Nonviolent Peace Prize, and the Eleanor Roosevelt Women of Courage Award (Marks-Ellis 7). She received over ten honorary degrees, and became known as a national treasure and symbol. Not only did she receive many awards, but on February 28th, 1991, the Smithsonian Institution unveiled a bust of her (Marks-Ellis 7). Rosa did not let her legacy stop her efforts; she continued to put in countless hours and help raise funds for the NAACP. She was an active member of her church and of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, which sponsored the Rosa

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