Getting to Know Rosa Parks

Getting to Know Rosa Parks (adapted for Audrey Peterson's Winter 20001 interview with Douglas Brinkley).

Slavery in the US. came to a formal end in 1865. But many whites continued to treat African-American citizens unfairly, denying them access to schools, housing, an jobs. African-Americans fought for equal rights durin the civil rights movement, which lasted from 1954 to 1966. The struggle forj'ustic and equality continues even today.

Douglas Brinkley wrote Rosa Parks, a biography, or written history, of the life of one of the movement's bravest leaders. In this interview, Brinkley shares what he's learned with American Legacy Jr. readers. (This segment is adapted from Audrey Peterson's interview with Douglas Brinkley, which appears in the Winter 2001 issue of American Legacy magazine.)

Q: The first surprise I got when I read your book was learning that Rosa Parks had been active in civil rights for many years before the moment that made her famous. Did you write her biography to reveal the depth of her commitment to civil rights?
A: Yes. Most people believed that she was just a good-hearted woman who was simply so tired one day that she refused to give up her seat on the bus home from work. But she was involved in the civil rights movement for many years. To me, she belongs firmly in the freedom-fighting tradition of Sojourner Truth, Harriet Tubman, Ella Baker, and Septima Clark.

Q: What's Mrs. Parks up to nowadays?
A: Her passion is the Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute. Its mission is to teach children how to conduct themselves with dignity and honor. They've created a program for Junior high school students in Detroit, Michigan, who make weekly visits to senior-care facilities and teach the residents how to surf the Internet and send e-mails. A 14-year-old taught Mrs. Parks how to use a computer a couple of years ago. He can now brag, "I taught Rosa Parks how to e-mail!"

Q: Why do we admire people like Mrs. Parks so much, but don't take stands like she did?
A: We often admire brave activists because we are too timid to stand up for justice. Rosa Parks gives us all hope. She reminds us that one person can make a difference.