A Girl Named Rosa

Getting Involved

Even though Rosa wanted to finish high school, she eventually had to drop out to take care of her grandparents and her mother. In between caring for them, she worked a variety of different jobs. When Rosa was eighteen, a friend introduced her to Raymond Parks. In 1932, Rosa and Raymond got married. He encouraged her to complete high school. Raymond also encouraged her to get involved in the civil rights movement. He was a member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). The organization had been formed by a group of black and white people who wanted to end unfair laws.

Rosa Parks became a leader of the Youth Council of the Montgomery NAACP in 1949. She wanted to give young black children what her grandfather had given her: courage and self-respect. These qualities helped Rosa deal with the unjust laws that existed in many states.

One type of unfair law that black people in Montgomery faced each day was about public transportation. On city buses, white riders sat at the front and a certain number of seats at the back were allowed for black riders. Black people had to pay in front and then get off and walk to the rear door of the bus to get on. Sometimes drivers would let black riders pay and then pull away from the curb before they could get to the back door. If all the black seats were taken, black riders had to stand, even if there were empty seats in front. Anyone who broke the rules, or tried to, was arrested.