A Girl Named Rosa

Table of Contents

• A Place Called Pine Level
• Lessons in Being Brave
• Leaving Home to Learn
• Black and White
• Getting Involved
• A Serious Choice
• A Girl Named Marley

A Place Called Pine Level

Rosa Louise McCauley was born in Tuskegee, Alabama, on February 4th, 1913. Her mother, Leona, was a teacher, and her father, James, built houses. When Rosa and her brother, Sylvester were young, her father left to find better work. Her mother moved with the kids to Pine Level, Alabama, to live with their grandparents.

Pine Level was a small community. Many people worked on farms. Rosa’s uncle was a minister. Going to church became a favorite and important part of Rosa’s life. When Rosa’s parents officially separated, her father never came back to live with the family, and her mother had to get a new teaching job.

The school Rosa’s mother worked at was in another town, so Rosa’s mother was only able to spend weekends with Rosa and Sylvester. Rosa loved spending time with her grandparents. They went fishing, learned to plant corn, and milked cows, with their grandfather. Rosa’s grandmother taught her how to cook, sew, and make quilts. Although Rosa’s grandparents taught her to do many things, they also helped her to understand that their lives are different from the lives of their White neighbors.