How did Rosa take a stand?

Answer 1

On December 1st 1955, Rosa Parks , an African American woman, boarded a public service bus in Montgomery, Alabama. At this time buses in Alabama had seating sections for white passengers and sections for black passengers. The bus driver had control over the number of seats in these sections which he marked by use of a movable sign.On the day in question the white seating section was full and Rosa Parks was seated in one of the forward rows of the black section. At one stop a group of white passengers boarded and, as the white section was full, and as was practice at the time, the bus driver, one James Blake, stood up and asked 4 of the black passengers to give up their seats in order that the white people could sit. Although all 4 black passengers intially refused , Blake threatened to call the police and 3 of the 4 black passengers gave up their seats. Rosa Parks however, refused to move. She was subsequently quoted as saying "When that white driver stepped back toward us, when he waved his hand and ordered us up and out of our seats, I felt a determination cover my body like a quilt on a winter night."

Parks was arrested and , after a brief trial was fined $10 plus $4 court costs. Her actions resulted in the Montgomery Bus Boycott (which you can read more about here - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montgomery_Bus_Boycott)

Ultimately the actions of Rosa Parks and the subsequent Montgomery Bus Boycott let to the practice of racial segregation in Alabama's public transport being challenged in the Federal District court and being proclaimed "unconstutional". The event was one of the most significant early victories for the American Civil Rights Movement and its leader, Martin Luther King Jr.