Jeanne Theoharis: Rosa Parks And Civil Rights

Being made famous for refusing to stand for a white man; Rosa Parks, often depicted as a shy seamstress, became a staple to the civil rights movement. Jeanne Theoharis book brings to light Mrs. Parks rebellious side; which seldom makes current curriculum. Through Rosa Parks several decades of activism, we see how the bus event was only one of many actions for social reform during her time.
Jeanne Theoharis’s book is best described in three parts. Chapters one and two develop who Rosa is; explaining her long history of fighting segregation and repression with the NAACP.
The middle three chapters are centered around the famous bus event. They describe many events leading up to it, and others as a result. The last two chapters continue with broader

strokes, showing how she reacted to the Martin Luther King Jr. assassination, the long-term effects of the boycott, and how she continued in the civil rights movment.
Let it be no question why this book is a required reading. Written in such an interesting way; It tells a story and shows why that event is necessary to the movement. One example, my favorite section, near the end of chapter three. It describes several earlier bus protesters being severely mistreated, before leading into Rosa’s legendary refusal to stand and give up her seat. Each event fully explained, and you see how the entire movement's opinion changes,If it’s not obvious, this way of teaching had a strong effect on me. History is in passing recalled for it’s important moments, and not the intricate detail behind it all; to actually see it laid out, and explained, makes you more invested in the reading.
This book is enjoyable. The writing flows from point to point, and it’s often difficult to find a stopping point. This book sheds light on something often glazed over during school.