Rosa Parks

  

Rosa Louise McCauley Parks  

(February 4, 1913 – October 24, 2005)  

was an American activist in the civil rights movement, best known for her pivotal role in the Montgomery bus boycott.  

The United States Congress has honored her as "the first lady of civil rights" and "the mother of the freedom movement".

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosa_Parks 

'Parks was not the first person to resist bus segregation 

 but the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) 

 believed that she was the best candidate for seeing through a court challenge 

 after her arrest for civil disobedience in violating Alabama segregation laws 

, and she helped inspire the black community to boycott the Montgomery buses for over a year".

"Although widely honored in later years, she also suffered for her act; she was fired from her job 

 and received death threats for years afterwards. 

 Shortly after the boycott, she moved to Detroit, where she briefly found similar work. From 1965 to 1988, she served as secretary and receptionist to John Conyers, 

 an African-American US Representative.  

She was also active in the black power movement and the support of political prisoners in the US." 

"In addition to African ancestry, one of Parks's great-grandfathers was Scots-Irish, and one of her great-grandmothers was a part–Native American slave." 

"Repeatedly bullied by white children in her neighborhood, Parks often fought back physically. 

 She later said: "As far back as I remember, I could never think in terms of accepting physical abuse without some form of retaliation if possible."  

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Ride the bus for free, it's Rosa Park day 

The driver explains, I put away 

My monthly pass, sit in front 

With the other handicapped elderly 

Get to my destination in one peace 

Go back a bit later slightly more clean 

I forget and try to swipe my pass 

Oh no need it's Rosa day 

The I noticed all the men in blue 

The white men in blue black some orange vests 

Six keeping the ride safe 

They exit the next stop, one by one walk out 

The front door 

Goodbye Gurl one of Them

Says to the Driver 

They look like a full grown Woman to me addressing the Driver 

She looks back at me in rearview mirror 

As the bus cops linger, stare at me 

Thru the windows 

I've never heard a Driver called Boy, but similarly 

Worse, never thought I'd see the day 

Boys in badges would group  diminish a co worker

Couldn't pick their mugs out in a line shot 

All dressed spiffy in uniforms 

On a ride back to 1950