Rosa Parks: My Story
(Rosa Parks)

Rosa Parks

Rosa Parks is the narrator of this, her life story. She grew up in the south during a time when segregation of the races was commonplace, though she always knew that it felt wrong. When she married a man named Raymond Parks, who was heavily involved in the fight for equal rights, she too became involved and passionate about the cause. Rosa became an icon in the civil rights movement when she refused to give up her seat on the segregated bus. After this moment, Rosa started travelling to spread the word on the civil rights movement and served as a motivational and influential speaker.

Raymond Parks

Raymond Parks, who went by his surname only, was the husband of Rosa Parks. When he met Rosa the civil rights movement had only just started brewing, and he was already involved in the cause. Parks preferred not to travel and stayed mostly out of the public eye, though he continued to support his wife and the other power-players within the movement. Parks was proud of Rosa for the role she played in the progress of equality though he often worried that she was getting herself into dangerous situations. Parks died of cancer in 1977 at the age of seventy-four.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Dr. King was arguably the most well-known and influential figure in the civil rights movement. He was a member of the NAACP, pastor of the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church, one of the men behind the Montgomery Bus Boycott, and one of the founders of the Montgomery Improvement Association, amongst other things. Dr. King studied the teachings of Mohandas Gandhi and followed his practice of non-violence, which he employed to press forward in the civil rights movement. Dr. King used speeches and marches to gather support, rather than hatred and violence. After surviving several acts of abuse, Dr. King was assassinated on April 4, 1968.

Leona McCauley

Leona McCauley was the mother of Rosa and Sylvester. Leona was a school teacher at one of the schools for black students in the south and she felt that education was necessary for her children to have in their lives. Leona tried to give Rosa the best opportunities for a future that she could, though Rosa always wanted more than only what was available to her. Leona was ill for much of Rosa’s life and Rosa cared for her the best she could, while still remaining committed to the movement. Leona moved to Detroit with Rosa, Parks, and Sylvester and that is where she died of cancer in 1979, at the age of ninety-one.

Sylvester McCauley

Sylvester McCauley was the younger brother of Rosa and son of Leona. Sylvester felt strongly about equal rights, just as Rosa did, though never more so than when he returned from serving in the military overseas. When Sylvester returned to the states, he was appalled that more progress had not been made, especially as he had been treated as an equal his entire time out of the country. Sylvester was so disappointed with the lack of progress made in the southern states that he moved to Detroit, where racism was less prevalent. Sylvester died of cancer in 1977.

Miss Alice White

Miss White was the white principal and co-founder of the Montgomery Industrial School, also known as Miss White’s school. Rosa attended Miss White’s school until it was shut down after Rosa had completed eighth grade. Miss White became too old to take care of the school and so did the other teachers; no one else would take over the job because of the controversy of white folks educating black children. Miss White taught the students at her school to remain dignified and ambitious, and know that they have every right to achieve whatever they want in life.

Mr. E.D. Nixon

Mr. E.D. Nixon was one of the most well-known and influential black men in Montgomery. He was active in every aspect of achieving equal rights for black citizens and supported others in become active, as well. He was president of the Montgomery branch of the NAACP and he worked closely with Rosa and some other folks to bring racial matters to the attention of politicians. Mr. Nixon had always been working toward small changes in the hopes that they would lead to bigger ones, and he got his wish when he encouraged Rosa to take her case in front of the Supreme Court.

Mrs. Virginia Durr

Mrs. Virginia Durr was a white woman who lived in Birmingham, Alabama with her husband Clifford who was an attorney. Mrs. Durr had grown up amongst racism, but she did not agree with the racist view of most white southerners; instead she supported the civil rights movement. Mrs. Durr was quite fond of Rosa and encouraged her to attend a racial desegregation conference at the Highlander School in Tennessee. Mrs. Durr and her husband were hugely supportive of Rosa during and after her arrest and had no qualms about putting their own safety at risk for equality.

Septina Poinsette Clark

Septina Clark was a woman whom Rosa met while she was at the Highlander School. Septina was a teacher there, at the citizenship school, where she taught classes on registering to vote, reading, and writing. She did not have an easy time out in the community, though she continued her work because she believed in the cause. Miss Clark kept in contact with Rosa over the years and remained a supporter of the civil rights movement. She penned a book about her life entitled, Echo in my Soul, of which she sent a copy to Rosa.

Mr. Fred Gray

Mr. Fred Gray was a black attorney in Montgomery who had been forced to get his education in the northern states due to southern prejudice. Rosa worked for Mr. Gray for some time and he served as one of her attorneys in her segregation case. Mr. Gray was also a member of the MIA along with Mr. Nixon, Dr. King, and Rev. Abernathy. He was heavily involved in the Montgomery Bus Boycott, along with other local efforts to achieve racial equality.

Mr. John Conyers

Mr. John Conyers was a black man who was a candidate for Congress whom Rosa met when she was living in Detroit. He asked Rosa to endorse him, and because she liked his viewpoint and the things he had to say, she gave it. After he won the election he asked Rosa to work for him, and she did for twenty-three years, up until her retirement in 1988.

Mrs. Coretta Scott King

Mrs. Coretta Scott King was the wife of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Mrs. King was a singer whom Rosa was familiar with before she officially met her, and Rosa had no idea that she was married to a minister. Mrs. King was a supporter of her husband and the civil rights movement, though she and the other women were not often allowed to march with their husbands. Despite sitting on the sidelines, she made her mark on the movement, and her passion for civil rights was known to all.

Malcolm X

Malcolm X was a member of the Black Muslims. He had been a career criminal and while in prison he learned of the teachings of the Muslims and adopted their principles. The Black Muslims preached a hatred of white people and encouraged the black community to fight for independence, success, and family. Rosa only met Malcolm X once, one week before he was killed, and while she did not agree with hatred in any form she did believe in the message he sent to the black community. Malcolm X was known for being a supremely intelligent man and just before he was killed he put the violent ways of the Black Muslims behind him.

President Lyndon B. Johnson

President Johnson was instrumental in the progression of the civil rights movement. It was always the goal to get political minds involved in the fight, and President Johnson was the most influential political proponent. President Johnson passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which offered protection to black citizens from racial prejudice. Shortly after, he passed the Voting Rights Act as well; this law would make it easier for black citizens to become registered to vote by allowing them to register with federal officials rather than local governments.

Reverend Abernathy

Reverend Abernathy was the minister of the First Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama. He and some other ministers, including Dr. King formed the Montgomery Improvement Association (MIA) because participation in the NAACP was weak in the state of Alabama. Reverend Abernathy was instrumental in getting Dr. King involved in civil rights work, as he believed that a man who was new to town was the perfect spokesperson; Dr. King was too new to have friends or enemies and that made him the perfect man for the job.