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By refusing to give up her seat on a Montgomery bus, Rosa Parks sparked a movement that reshaped American history. Her quiet strength became a symbol of dignity and resistance.

Rosa Parks

Sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott, showing the power of one act of defiance.

Rosa Parks
(1913–2005)

Rosa Louise McCauley Parks was born on February 4, 1913, in Tuskegee, Alabama. She became an enduring symbol of dignity and defiance when she refused to give up her bus seat to a white passenger in Montgomery on December 1, 1955. This simple yet courageous act of resistance helped ignite the Civil Rights Movement, earning her the title “Mother of the Freedom Movement.”

Raised in a segregated South marked by racial violence and systemic injustice, Parks was taught by her mother to value self-respect and resilience. She attended the Montgomery Industrial School for Girls, where she learned skills that empowered her later activism. Rosa married Raymond Parks, a barber and active member of the NAACP, who encouraged her civic engagement. She became secretary of the Montgomery NAACP, working closely with E.D. Nixon on cases challenging racial injustice.

The pivotal moment of her life came on that December day in 1955, when Parks refused a bus driver’s demand to give up her seat in the “colored section.” Her arrest sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott, a 381-day campaign that crippled the city’s transit system and brought Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. into national prominence. Parks’s quiet courage resonated deeply, symbolizing the strength of ordinary people in the struggle for justice.

Following the boycott, Parks and her family faced harassment and economic hardship. They eventually relocated to Detroit, Michigan, where she continued to work for civil rights, focusing on issues like housing discrimination, racial inequality in schools, and criminal justice reform. She also worked in Congressman John Conyers’s office, supporting constituents in need.

Throughout her life, Parks received numerous honors, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Gold Medal. Her story has been told in countless books, documentaries, and museums, securing her place as an icon of justice and perseverance.

Rosa Parks is celebrated in the Good Trouble Makers Hall of Fame because her single act of defiance became a catalyst for systemic change. She demonstrated that sometimes making Good Trouble means refusing to move, and in doing so, she moved a nation forward.

John Lewis
A Freedom Rider, March on Washington leader, and tireless advocate for voting rights, John Lewis dedicated his life to “good trouble” in the service of justice.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg
From the ACLU to the Supreme Court, RBG fought tirelessly for gender equality and equal justice under law, becoming a cultural and legal icon.
Alexei Navalny
Courageously challenging authoritarian rule, Navalny faced repeated imprisonment and persecution for exposing corruption and advocating for a freer Russia.
Harriet Tubman
Born into slavery, Harriet Tubman risked her life to guide hundreds to freedom on the Underground Railroad. She later became a Union spy and lifelong advocate for equality.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Through his vision of nonviolent resistance, Dr. King inspired a nation to confront segregation and injustice, moving the arc of history closer to freedom.
Mother Teresa
Devoted to serving the poor and forgotten, Mother Teresa founded the Missionaries of Charity. Her radical compassion made her a symbol of selfless love across the globe.
Mahatma Gandhi
Gandhi pioneered nonviolent resistance, leading India’s struggle for independence. His philosophy of truth and peace continues to guide justice movements worldwide.
Susan B. Anthony
A leading voice in the fight for women’s suffrage, Susan B. Anthony dedicated her life to securing the right to vote. Her persistence helped lay the foundation for generations of change.
Nelson Mandela
Imprisoned for 27 years, Mandela emerged to lead South Africa out of apartheid. As president, he championed reconciliation and became a global symbol of resilience and hope.
Malala Yousafzai
Surviving an assassination attempt at age 15, Malala transformed her struggle into a global movement for education, dignity, and human rights.
Frederick Douglass
Before joining the Court, Marshall argued and won Brown v. Board of Education, dismantling segregation and laying the groundwork for equal protection.
Rosa Parks
By refusing to give up her seat on a Montgomery bus, Rosa Parks sparked a movement that reshaped American history. Her quiet strength became a symbol of dignity and resistance.