Black history fact #18 

Rosa Parks (1913 - 2005) was a civil rights activist, whom is considered the "First Lady of the Civil Rights Movement." On December 1, 1955, she famously refused to give up her seat to a white passenger on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama, spurring the Montgomery Bus Boycott and nationwide efforts to end segregation of public facilities. The boycott, which started on December 5, 1955 (the day of Rosa Park's trial) and lasted for 381 days, successfully pushed the city of Montgomery to lift the the enforcement of segregation on public buses. Although being the symbol of the civil rights movement, Parks experienced several hardships due to actions, including both her and her husband losing their jobs. Things got so bad that they moved from Montgomery to Detroit, Michigan, where they were able to start a new life. On September 9, 1996, Parks was award the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor awarded. She has received many other honors in recogintionn of her contrubuton to the Civil Rights Movement, including a commemorative US Postal Stamp, a statue in the nation's Capitol building, and a Congressional Gold Medal. 

Thank you Rosa Parks for standing your ground!