She Was Not the First Woman to Refuse to Give Up Her Seat. They weren't particularly well off. Is the item digitized? Rosa was a lot younger than Ray and much better educated. Husband, Raymond Parks | Early Life and Activism | Explore | Rosa Parks On December 1, 1955, African-American seamstress Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a Montgomery, Alabama bus to a white man, breaking existing segregation laws in that town. In truth, while Rosa was certainly courageous, she was not the first black woman to be arrested protesting the segregated Montgomery bus system. He spent his childhood caring for ill family members and was orphaned as a teen. Zion AME Zion Church, Holt Street Baptist Church (Montgomery, Alabama), Women's Political Council (WPC) of Montgomery, MIA Mass Meeting at Holt Street Baptist Church, "The Montgomery Story," Address Delivered at the Forty-seventh Annual NAACP Convention. . And in1934, two years after their marriage, Rosa got the high school degree she couldn't get earlier because her mother's illness forced her to quit school. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. An avid reader, he cultivated a thorough knowledge of current events and an appreciation for poetry. Rosa Parks Was Born in Tuskegee, Alabama. Screenshots are considered by the King Estate a violation of this notice. Rosa was a lot younger than Ray and much better educated. Two of Raymonds associates were killed. Capture the Event on Film. In 1987, she and long-time friend Elaine Steele started the Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute for Self Development, which continues today to educate youth about the struggle for civil and human rights. Raymond made it safely back home, coming in through the back door. When she inspired the bus boycott, Parks had been the secretary of the local NAACP for twelve years (1943-1956). In fact, Raymond's influence led Rosa herself to become immersed in the civil rights movement. Were giving Raymond major points for encouraging his wife to advance her education. She remained with him until her retirement in 1988. Library of Congress Duplication Services. Ask A Librarian service or call the reading room between 8:30 and His famous wife, Rosa Parks, became an iconic civil rights leader during the 1955 Montgomery Bus Boycott in Alabama. Rosa Parks died on October 24, 2005 at her home on the east side of Detroit while she was taking a nap. The two women in the bench seat across from her also got up. Who Was Rosa Parks's Husband Raymond and Did They Have Any Children?