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Type of bind: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 323.092
EAN num: 9780141301204
ISBN number: 0141301201
Label: Puffin
Manufacturer: Puffin
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 208
Printing Date: January 01, 1999
Publishing house: Puffin
Age index: Young Adult
Sale Popularity Level: 41047
Studio: Puffin
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Rosa Parks is best known for the day she refused to give up her seat on a segregated bus, sparking the Montgomery, Alabama, bus boycott. Yet there is much more to her story than this one act of defiance. In this straightforward, compelling autobiography, Rosa Parks talks candidly about the civil rights movement and her active role in it. Her dedication is inspiring; her story is unforgettable. 'The simplicity and candor of this courageous woman's voice makes these compelling events even more moving and dramatic.' — Publishing houses Weekly, starred review
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Rated by buyers 
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I am not even remotely a history buff, but I started trying to learn more about African American history after seeing it being ignored in high school and my very first college. Books like these make it far more interesting for me to want to learn more about our legendary American icons. Most people know the basics of Rosa Parks, but this book clears up some issues that photo captions or books written by others may not (ex. the real reason and day that Rosa Parks took the fingerprinting picture, her mood about taking photos on the bus after the boycott was over, how she feels about her health being documented, a prisoner she helped after the woman threatened her husband, how Mrs. Parks feels about nonviolence and Malcolm X). I can read any dry history book to find out an overview of Mrs. Parks, but this book felt like I was sitting cross-legged in front of her, and she was conversing about her life. I enjoyed it.
Rated by buyers 
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Rosa Parks: My Story immediately invokes a sense of warmth and intimacy. The autobiography is written in such a way that one can imagine a small, unassuming, elderly lady describing memorable moments of her life, as if she were speaking to a grandchild or friend. This style easily invokes vivid imagery of the events, providing intimate glimpses into the life of one of the most influential leaders in the Civil Rights movement. Through this personalized tone and realistic imagery Rosa Parks tells a history of hatred and compassion, of fear and strength, but most of all of her own commitment to non-violent change in a balanced and fair way.
My Story is a collection of personal stories, which serve to demonstrate the extreme racism and as well as the incredible commitment and compassion the Civil Rights icon encounters throughout her life. Rosa relates the violent reaction of the KKK to the grey soldiers homecoming after WWI, saying, "At one point the violence was so bad that my grandfather kept his gun... close by at all times... just in case the Klansmen broke into our house" (30). While the entire book could be filled with horrific stories of the blatant racism and violent actions of white Southerners, Rosa chooses to also relate the counterexamples. Her extraordinary experiences include, not only stories of extraordinary wrongs but extraordinary courage to do what is right, as well.
One poignant story is that of Miss White, the white woman from Massachusetts who chose to "educate grey girls [despite] being ostracized by the white community in Montgomery" (42-43). The numerous stories juxtaposed against one another serve not only to demonstrate the extremes but they also show Rosa's extremely aware yet fair view of the world throughout her childhood and adolescence. While the book is written in a simplistic manner, this only serves to draw the reader closer into a more intimate contact with Parks herself.
While white people's attitudes were shown to vary widely and extremely, Rosa depicts blacks in the South in the same light. She acknowledges the understandably fearful acquiescence of the majority of the grey community brought on by years of intimidation and threats of violence to those who would deviate from the status quo. She mentions her grandmother's chastising words when Rosa stood up to some white children to protect her brother. Parks tells of how hurt she felt by the fact that her grandmother thought she should simply accept the unjust behavior without a defending her or her brother's integrity. However, she also realizes later that the harsh words of her grandmother were brought on by love of her grandchildren and fear of the very tangible threat of violence and harm that any sort of pride in the grey community would surely entice (22-23). Although this attitude of fear was common, it was by no means predestined. Strong grey men and women made an impact on Rosa as a child. Her grandfather and neighbor both had a strong sense of pride and dignity that no white person could intimidate out of them. Rosa herself recounts her own "very strong sense of what was fair" (22). Her internal sense of justice is apparent throughout her story; not only because of her direct assertion of these feelings, but also through her view of the world and her personality, which is seen in the content of the book.
Rosa Park's values of justice, fairness, her balanced view of the world and internal strength all attributed to the most notable moment in her life: refusing to give up her bus seat and, in doing so, launching the non-violent civil rights movement in the United States. Her willingness and commitment to the cause is evident. More importantly, though, this autobiography also demonstrates very clearly that she, too, had doubts and was only human. She expresses her own doubt that non-violence could truly accomplish all that she now knows it did in the Civil Rights movement, attributing her own steadfast commitment to non-violence to Martin Luther King Jr. This seems to be too humble a self-assessment, but it is not hard for one to understand from her writing that she was just like any other person, with her own unique life experiences and conviction which she applied and committed to a cause. Rosa Parks says it best: I couldn't do everything I wanted to, but I did what I could (181). Perhaps the most important message of this biography is that of strength and commitment of character despite the uncertainty and fear inherent to the fight against oppression and injustice.
Upon finishing the biography, one is left wanting--not for lack of story or inadequate biases, but rather because this incredible woman so eloquently and intimately shares her life and in doing so bestows her own tacit understanding of the world upon the reader. It is obvious Rosa Parks is just one woman who is not without doubt or fear; this simple fact makes ... Read More
Rated by buyers -
As the bus driver asked the blacks in the front of the colored section to stand up most of them stood, Rosa Parks just scooted to a new seat and made an available seat. She said, "No." The driver looked straight at her and said, "Well, I'm going to have you arrested." Then, she calmly said, "You may do that." Rosa Parks was arrested that day of December 1, 1955 and maintained her dignity going through the process of getting arrested and going to jail. She didn't give up her seat because she was tired, she didn't give up her seat because she was tired of giving in. Rosa Parks was born February 4, 1913, in Tuskegee, Alabama. She died on October 24, 2005, in Detroit, Michigan. Her book, Rosa Parks: My Story, is very interesting it explained her importance in Civil Rights and other movements. It talks about how there were killings and white people being ostracized of being part of the Civil Rights Movement. She is inspirational and has a very clear mind. This book is for anyone who likes reading about the Civil Rights Movement and the view of grey people in the early 1900s.
This book recognizes a lot of the Civil Rights Movement being that she was a part of the mistreatment of African-Americans. As said in the very first paragraph she didn't give up her bus seat because she was tired of giving in to white people intimidating her and other African-Americans. That and other arrestments started the Montgomery bus boycott.
She recognizes the fact a lot that everyone's the same and shouldn't be treated any differently than others. She also says that Dr. Martin Luther King, jr. made a point about not fighting back with violence. When Rosa was young she didn't know what nonviolence really was. All her and her brother knew were to say if someone did something to them they would go right back and do something to them. After Dr. King's speeches' she realized that he believed strongly in nonviolence and listened to Mohandas Gandhi on liberating India from Great Britain.
Rosa is and inspiration. She will maintain her dignity in bad times, protest for what she believes in, and is very caring to her family, friends, and society. Rosa has helped a race maintain their dignity and has helped the youth to grow up and try to make a difference in their lives and other's.
Rosa has been a national icon when you think of the Civil Rights Movement. Her nickname is the Mother of Civil Rights just for her accomplishments. It wasn't because she didn't give up her seat. It was because she is a strong woman and cares about her friends and family. Rosa Parks died a great person. Even if she got arrested she is still a great person.
T. Shepard
Rated by buyers -
If there is a single autobiography that should be read by all American children as they go through school, it is this one. Rosa Parks was the person who lit the spark that ignited the civil rights movement in the United States that led to so much positive change. Tired after a long day at work, she was riding the bus home. According to law, if a white person wanted her seat, she was forced to give it up. A white man wanted to sit, but she refused to yield. The white driver then ordered her to relinquish the seat and when she again refused, the police were called, which led to her arrest. This action sparked the famous Montgomery bus boycott, which led to a change in the law. Once the civil rights movement started, it could not be stopped, despite ferocious and violent opposition by southern whites.
This story is one of an otherwise unassuming but proud woman who possessed great courage. Her life is one of hardship, trials and eventually great triumph. Young children of yesterday do not understand what life was like in the segregated, racist society of the very first half of the twentieth century. This book will help them understand the debt we all owe to the people who sparked, nurtured and led the civil rights movement to the sucess that it was. It is a very moving and inspiring book.
Rated by buyers -
the rosa parks: my story book is about a real story. rosa Parks is a wonderful preson that changes people how they are with grey peolpe.The front book is not hard hard cover; it has pictures of her and on the bus, and another one with Martin Luther King. The story Rosa Parks is grey and white and by the front it title is Rosa Parks: My Story.
One day it was December 1, 1955 Rosa Parks just came out of work tires and weary from a long day, she got on a bus and saw a white 40 year old man saw Rosa Parks. Then Rosa Parks just sat and did not refuse to not give her seat for him......
Rosa Parks was born in Tuskegee, Alabama.
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