Rosa Parks and the Love For Justice

Today's love is dedicated to freedom fighters, past and present.

By Hatty Lee, Jamilah King Dec 01, 2010

Wednesday marks the 55th anniversary of Rosa Parks’ historic refusal to give up her seat on a segregated Montgomery, AL bus. It was a carefully organized act of defiance that’s largely credited with ushering the Civil Rights movement into existence. The storied movement that arose in part from her actions was often bloody and cost many their lives. So while it’s become commonplace to try to paint it  over with far less threatening tones, we take a look back at what Parks’ efforts really looked like on December 1, 1955. It’s all in an effort to thank the woman many consider a heroine, and the millions like her who fought for justice — and are still fighting.

Rosa Parks seated toward the front of the bus on December 1, 1955 in Montgomery, Alabama.

Rosa Parks with Dr. Martin Luther King jr. (ca. 1955)(Creative Commons)

Civil rights pioneer Rosa Parks photgraphedby Alabama cops following her February 1956 arrest during the Montgomery bus boycotts. (Creative Commons)

Rosa Parks being fingerprinted by Alabama cops. (Library of Congress)

Freedoms Riders outside burning bus in Anniston, AL (Library of Congress)

We’re ending the day as often as possible by celebrating love. We welcome your ideas for posts. Send suggestions to [email protected], and be sure to put Celebrate Love in the subject line. You can send links to videos, graphics, photos, quotes, whatever. Or just chime in to the comments below and we’ll find you. Be sure to let us know you’ve got the rights to share any media you send.

To see other Love posts visit our Celebrate Love page.