Tuesday, October 25, 2005

Rosa Parks - Courage in Action

Rosa Parks died yesterday at the age of 92. As a teacher, I have taught lessons on Rosa Parks for as long as I've been teaching. Having grown up in the 60's, I'm old enough to vaguely remember stores with "white" and "colored" water fountains and bathrooms. I can remember separate schools for white children and black children. It was a world very different from today. There were some things that were better back then, but segregation and racial prejudice were not among them.

It's difficult to explain to modern children the tremendous courage it took for Rosa Parks to refuse to give up her bus seat to a white man. Nowadays we can't even imagine such a thing! I'm thankful that our children have role models from the past, such as Rosa Parks, who stood up for what was right, regardless of the personal cost. I wonder who their role models from today will be. It is often the everyday person - someone not in a position of prestige or power - who ends up being the most influential. An ordinary person, like Rosa Parks, doing extraordinary acts...and changing our world.

1 comment:

Ruth said...

Carol, You ara a BLOG machine. You and Jona both write so much and so well.

I agree totally with your tribute to Rosa Parks. Also, Teresa Heinz Kerry was definitely a negative to the Kerry Campaign. But I would never vote for John Kerry anyway.

I was so sorry to hear about Patti's loss. I rember her from my visit up there...give her my condolances and rayers.