Since yesterday was Martin Luther King Jr. day, I felt it was important to discuss African American women's contribution to civil rights. And of course, my mind went directly to Rosa Parks. Martin Luther King Jr said in his famous, "I have a dream" speech, "I have a dream that [we] will live in a nation where [we] will not be judged by the color of [our] skin but by the content of [our] character." Rosa Parks proved her character. Before she took the stand to sit on the bus, Rosa had a background of civil rights involvement. Because she already had a strong foundation- a strong character of standing up for what was right- her highly influential and spontaneous decision to sit that day was simply an external expression of her character. She said of her act, "When I made that decision, I knew I had the strength of my ancestors with me". She had the confidence of truth to strengthen her as well. I've often heard that Rosa Parks said she was tired and didn't want to move. I refuse to believe that to be true. She knew the stakes of refusing to stand so a white person could have her seat. She knew she could go to jail for it, and she did. She knew there would be a price to pay, and that price would be more tiring than standing for a few minutes. Instead, she held strong in a seemingly small way, in what I'm sure was a fearful situation. Her "small" act went on to inspire a large scale boycott that eventually led the US Supreme Court to rule that Montgomery bus segregation law unconstitutional. Buses were then integrated. Rosa Parks was a courageous woman. Not only the color of her skin, but her gender was also a barrier for her to overcome at such a time. But nothing deterred her from protesting for change. She is a great example for us all. Though it often seems that the stands we take are small and insignificant, they make change. The choices we make everyday eventually lead to a big change in ourselves, and always affect those around us. Simple choices will strengthen others to make difference choices as well. So continue forward with choices in which you feel alone. Be strengthened by truth. Because just like Martin Luther King Jr said, one day, we will be judged based solely on our character.
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