Running head: Rosa Park Essay
The Historiography of Rosa Parks can be in its most simplistic way be done in regards to some of the stunning literary works by renown authors. The few cases that are discussed herein are generally seen to stem from the historic timeline of the social reforms. According to the authors (Danielle L. McGuire 1996), in 1955 Rosaâs act spontaneously sparked a boycott in the transportation industry; and specifically the bus independent sector. Such are the instances that were glaring acts of this formidable personality in the social movement that has seen the American society this far. In the previous literary works, there is a sharp contrast in comparison to what Rosa Parks really was and signified. This was evident in the latter revelation which was eminently a great difference with the 1955 boycott.
This period of the bus boycott was marked by one of the vibrantly emerging radical activists in America but most specifically in the locality in question; Alabama. For a long time, black women had endured unending degradation in Montgomery as they travelled in city buses on their way to serve their bosses in daily house and office chores; cleaning and cooking. âThis was just too much to takeâ was the resolution by such strong activists as Rosa Parks who saw the need for a commanded and firm action against these injustices. An account is given about an African-origin woman travels in a bus when she says, âThere had to be a stopping place, and this seemed to be the place for me to stop being pushed around.â This woman happened to be Rosa Sparks.
Danielle L. McGuire (1996). At the dark end of the street, black women, rape, and resistance: a new history of the civil rights movement. Knof Publishers. New York.
She defiantly refused to vacate her seat and as a resulted was arrested. As a result, Jo Robinson; an activist, fiercely organized a bus boycott that would take a day. This was intended to paralyze the transportation sector and act as an avenue of the grievances of this group of isolated persons.
The move whose original intention was never to exceed a day went for more than a year. The implications to this were a broken foundation for the Montgomery city bus. This is a fact that Philip S.,( 2007) raises to be attributed to the long term effects of any form of a lobbying act. These not only shook its entity but went ahead to completely paralyze the company by rendering it completely bankrupt. Rosa was a figure that compelled the tough-headed racist leaders and society that had never imagined such a wimp of events to ever surface. This not only broke the yoke of perceived notion of white infallibility and invincibility but brought to the global knowledge a possibility of impossibilities. To even turn tables more, Rosa never demanded to be accorded any leadership totality of the move she was virtually the flag bearer, but instead was formally endowed by nature that a status was more of a symbolic and formidable personality. She poised to elevate the invincible role and significance of a virtuous black woman. Such was an elevated dignity and demeanor. There comes a unison move to see to the strengthening move by Rosa and this comes from the sentiments shared by Mary H., Gloria B. & Dale G., (2006). Alongside Rosaâs figure are seen other equally strong black women whose significant roles played the racial shaping moment in American context. The formerly disregarded black minors in the vast world class society were now regarded as the footnotes of the historical timeline.
For a long time, there had been segregation in America on the rise; this was such a racial imbalance that men defied basic legislations in broad day for no fear of victimization.
Philip S.,( 2007). Rosa Parks and her protest for civil rights, Cherry tree Books. US.
For instance, an incidence of the 1944 which involved a defilement of a lady aged twenty four. This is the story of Racy Taylor; a sharecropper and a mother. On her way home from her routine prayers, she encountered a group of white men; specifically seven in number, armed with weaponry such as shotguns and hand knives. The seven men intimidated the young Alabama lady and compelled her into their green Chevrolet. The next she underwent was such an ordeal unforgettable. You can imagine a gang of seven raping a lone-lady especially after her time of spiritual nourishment, then leaving her for dead. As a matter of fact, the word spreads round thereby compelling the president of the then existing area NAACP to act quickly. His move was to send the smartest of his investigators and team leader to Abbeville. This investigator emerges to be Rosa Parks. In the event that Rosa undertakes to start off the case, she yields such a move that sparks off a great revolution in the world. This gives the account of the never before stipulated history, and how the movement by the civil rights was such prompt and focused to opposing the mounting segregation and torture that black women were subjected to by white men. This was to intimidate the blacks on economic grounds, freedom movement and sexual violence per se. In a way to stress on this fact Terri De Gezelle (2007) is of the view that to add insult to injury these forces that propelled injustices in the society go unpunished and such is their marvel. He gives the historical perspective of unresolved conflict and their future implications.
Hafiz A. (2005). Rosa Parks: Mother of the Civil Rights Movement: 1913=2005.off our backs; Sep/Oct 2005, vol.35. Issue 9/10, p.10.
This was an era that was under the ruler ship of Jim Crow when the black women were shamelessly assaulted by the whites in a move to enforce conventionally illegal but unpunished castes; indeed economical and class hierarchy. However, black women stood firmly to protest against this domineering social injustice. This fuelled the civil lobby against this injustice. This was eminent in the south which was resoundingly vibrant in the southern frontier that kicked off in the second world war era and continued throughout to the movement of the Black Power.
Parks moves were such famous as to openly oppose the legislative perspectives as stipulated by Jim Crow. Years before this, she had marveled as an advocate in the war against sexual violence for black women. She was wildly an opponent of the social injustices the black women were subjected to as they were so prone to be abused and manipulated by white men. Despite the quest by the blacks to for a fair and free jury system, there seemed to be no favor for their course. It was as though the judgment for every case involving sexual abuse of the blacks would never be heeded to , but if to be given attention, was to be turned against them. For instance, in his book titled Quiet Strength: The faith, the hope, and the heart of a woman who changed: Rosa Parks, Gregory J Reed points out that, ââŚcases that often went untried and were the political opposite of the allegations of black men raping white women ending in summary lynching with or without trials.â
Mary H., Gloria B. & Dale G., (2006). Rosa Parks: Civil rights leader. Info bane Publishers. Philadelphia.
Several cases of sexual abuse that vehemently catapulted opposition are cited in this context, some of which include: the trial case involving a little lady by the name Joan, who murdered a white jailer that had at some point in time subjected her to an unforgettable assault. This is seen as an informal way to get back justice in course. However, such cases and even more resulted in cases of convicts in this justice seeking event for the right treatment and a just system.
As a result of the lead of advocates and forerunners such as Darlene Clark and others like Danielle ideologies, there suffices all the âblack allegationâ in this dark period of segregation marked by rape all that demeans the dignity instilled in humans. An affirmation is made on Crows wave of distortion that is generated in the south frontier and the bitter truths of horror it generated. A show of an all-powerful legal head against a non-violent protesting group of unarmed women. This is a clear chauvinistic insult alongside a propeller of abuse founded in a segregated society. Such is an existence so unbearable and a must-wreck down institution. America is a land that had long been liberated and needed not be the playing ground for such infamous manipulations. This was the argument by a majority of the lobbyists, both in literary and action-oriented advocacies. Fortunately, to play to the tune, relevant institutions back up the move.
Gregory Reed J.,(2000). Quiet Strength: The faith, the hope, and the heart of a woman who changed: Rosa Parks, Zondervan Publishers. Grandville, MI.
For example NAACP takes the lead and to some extent, for the first time, a level playing ground surfaces. However, prominent people in the history of America had pre-empted the discrimination in America and had earlier resolved that in such a situation, all that was needed was a race that would soldier on for a once-and-for all reform. One such prominent person is Martin Luther King.
It was as though he had immediately uttered his words than its implications were soon kick-started. Arguably, if these groups to fight the widespread segregation had never existed then there would have been a global spread of this economically alienation of some human race, most of which would have been reduced to the levels of mere beasts of the field however much their contribution to the economies of global nations was more than half the average. This prompt move made the would-be irredeemable entrustment of ingratitude futile- a lie that was periodically slotted whenever the Americans pledged their allegiance to their national heritage and bond. It was kind of a mockery to their divinely established entirety of The American institution and system.
This also ascertains the role the women have consistently played in the American entity. It challenges the farfetched notion of male domineer in America since time immemorial. The black women not only set a stage for their fellow black sisters but also for their counterpart sisters. Instead of appearing as expected, it prominently emanates that the women shape up a path upon which could be shaped morality down from the utter detrimental levels of inequality. They demonstrated this by giving no more the pleasure to their oppressors. To set the notch higher, Hafiz A. (2005). Suggests that they exposed the concept of moral emptiness and how easily inconsistent leadership can be used against the society. They prove this by failing to act privy to Crowsâ tactics. Everything was done in broad daylight. The result was guilt and shame by the victims on the offensive.
It is therefore for a fact that what was intentionally thought of as a futile move by Rosa Parks became an unbearable nightmare to her opposition. At first it appeared as an attempt by dying horse to race and thus was not to be accorded any significance nor a slight attention. Instead it turns out to get a global attention not as a favor but for its revolutionary take-off and merit. It sparks-off a spirited effort of communal fight in addressing social set-backs and is seen as the only way to find the way out. Fortunately it is properly calculated and leaves the antagonists the option of âeither take it or be faced-offâ
Works Cited
Morris, A . The origins of the civil rights movement, from the American Journal of Sociology, Vol.91, No.5 (Mar, 1986). The University of Chicago Press, Chicago.
Danielle L. McGuire (1996). At the dark end of the street, black women, rape, and resistance: a new history of the civil rights movement. Knof Publishers. New York.
Mary H., Gloria B. & Dale G., (2006). Rosa Parks: Civil rights leader. Info bane Publishers. Philadelphia.
Gregory Reed J.,(2000). Quiet Strength: The faith, the hope, and the heart of a woman who changed: Rosa Parks, Zondervan Publishers. Grandville, MI.
Philip S.,( 2007). Rosa Parks and her protest for civil rights, Cherry tree Books. US.
Patrick M &, Elisabeth Schafer-W.,(2001). The civil rights movement revisited: critical perspectives on the struggle. LIT Verlag Munster. US.
Terri De Gezelle (2007). Rosa Parks and the Civil Rights Movement. Heinemann-Rain tree. Amazon.
Hafiz A. (2005). Rosa Parks: Mother of the Civil Rights Movement: 1913=2005.off our backs; Sep/Oct 2005, vol.35. Issue 9/10, p.10.
Rosa Parks, Jo Ann Robinson, and the Montgomery Bus Boycott, 1955-1956â: The Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), 1957. In Let Nobody Turn Us Around: Voices of Resistance, Reform, and Renewal: An African American Anthology, Manning Mar able and Leith Mulling, ads
