A Great American Hero
Rosa Parks is a great American hero. I
wanted to read about her because some
people say she started the Civil Rights
Movement. Her brave decision led to
events that changed the lives of countless
African Americans. The most impressive
thing about Rosa Parks is that she believed
in right and wrong even as a child.
Rosa Parks always believed in right
and wrong.
When She Was Young
Parks was born on February 4, 1913 in
Tuskeegee, Alabama. She began to fight back at
an early age. When she was a little girl, she used
a brick to scare off a white boy who was trying to
hurt her. She followed the segregation laws but
didn’t believe they were right. She was inspired
later in life, by her husband, because he helped
arrested black people get lawyers.
Parks attended a small school for
black children. Her school did not
have a bus while the larger, white
school did have a bus. She dealt
with inequality and racism even as
a young girl.
Her Brave Decision
Parks is remembered today for a brave decision
she once made. The law at this time said that if
there were no more seats, a black person would
have to give up their seat to a white person. When
asked to give up her bus seat, she refused. She was
a strong person who knew what was right. On this
particular day, she decided that she just had
enough. She was arrested, found guilty, and later
fined $10. She never paid the fine.
On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks was 42 years old. On this day, she
decided she would not give up her seat anymore
The Inspiration
Rosa’s arrest led to a one-year boycott of the buses
in the city of Montgomery. The bus companies
eventually went out of business, and Dr. Martin Luther
King Jr. helped take their case to the Supreme Court. The
court did away with the law that Parks was arrested for.
Rosa Parks continued to fight for the rights of AfricanAmericans after her arrest for the bus incident. She
made speeches and attended marches in the South. Her
story continued to inspire the country to fight against the
segregation. Both black and white benefited from the
work of Rosa Parks.
Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King, Jr. worked together to
gain civil rights and equality for all African-Americans.
Why I Admire Rosa Parks
I admire her courage and personal
sacrifice in a time when it put her personal
safety at risk. We should all strive to stand
up for what’s right and help others as she
did. If everyone did this, our world would
be a better place to live in.
Rosa Parks always believed in
right and wrong.