Rosa Parks - 92

Yesterday Rosa Parks passed away. I didn't even know she was still alive, I'd thought she'd died a long time ago. I dont know alot about her but I know that I have always known the name, probably ever since I was first able to apprehend and understand the english language.

In an Arizonan classroom, twenty or so six year olds gathered in the carpet, we sat in a circle so that no one'd feel inferior. "Beunos dias" Mrs.C would announce."Commo Esta Ustead?" She went around the circle, urging each of us a reply.

"Meuy Bien, Garacias" was always my answer, any other answer would get a "porque?" by Mrs.C. Followed by a too personal outflow of your problems, and why you felt "Muey Mal".

That was the worst, everyone would be staring at you and you're supposed to tell them you had a bad night and that your dog died or something. If my dog died, had I owned one, my answer'd still be "Muey Bien, Garacias" with a smile.

There was great pressure in that classroom every morning for me, I hated spanish, and worse, I hated that I had so many more problems than anyone of those spoiled American brats...Okay they weren't spoiled and they weren't brats, in fact they were great friends.

Anyways our subject one week was Martin Luther King Jr., that was inspiring, but what really captivated me was Rosa Parks. We must have discussed her for no more than a few minutes, but her story was the one I had kept for over 15 years.

Rosa parks, an African American woman, in the center of the civil war against colored individuals. According to law, she and many like her, who were born a color different to white, were forced to sit in the back of the bus.

Rosa Parks walked onto the bus, paid her fare, and sat in the front. When a white man motioned her to move, she refused.

Rosa Parks was arrested and jailed for the mere sitting on the bus. She went on to trigger civil rights movements, and a civil revolution, just because she thought it was right. In November 1956, the U.S. Supreme Court outlawed segregation on buses.

Her story has helped me in my individual developement, as I'm sure it has done to many others. I developed a strength in me through her, though her name never came up again for the next 15 years, until her death, 92, yesterday. The headline caught my eye, and right away her name registered in my mind, her story as clear as if it'd been told yesterday.

Who knew, that the mere act of standing up could affect me to such an extent. I believe that sub-conciously, my strength came from her, my individuality came from her - may she rest in peace.