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pattydsf's review
4.0
“When asked what gave her the strength and commitment to refuse segregation, (Rosa) Parks credited her mother and grandfather "for giving me the spirit of freedom... that I should not feel because of my race or color, inferior to any person. That I should do my very best to be a respectable person, to respect myself, to expect respect from others.”
“Time and time again, she sought to show the roots—the legitimacy—of black rebellion. It galled her that black people were often told to wait, to be patient and not angry. She had long hated the ways black rebels were seen as freaks or demonized for their refusal to submit.”
This is the second book I have finished that was recommended by The Reverend Doctor William Barber. (http://www.breachrepairers.org/) During his mini-history lesson, he talked about the real Rosa Parks. I thought I knew who he was talking about.
Once again, history has done a disservice to a black woman. In this case we have rightly honored Rosa Parks for what we thought she did. However, her life was fuller, more interesting and harder than we ever imagined.
I accepted the story of Parks and her decision not to move out of her bus seat as fact. Over the years, I had heard that Parks was involved in the civil rights movement for many years and that seemed likely. However, I really never considered what happened to Parks and her family after the bus boycott.
This is why reading and paying attention to history is so important. How can I, for whom facts are important, know what is going on if I don’t find the right information. I should know by now not to accept the “facts” as presented.
This is an excellent biography. Theoharis has done her research well and helped this reader to see not only Parks more clearly, but some of American history more clearly. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in 20th century America.
“Time and time again, she sought to show the roots—the legitimacy—of black rebellion. It galled her that black people were often told to wait, to be patient and not angry. She had long hated the ways black rebels were seen as freaks or demonized for their refusal to submit.”
This is the second book I have finished that was recommended by The Reverend Doctor William Barber. (http://www.breachrepairers.org/) During his mini-history lesson, he talked about the real Rosa Parks. I thought I knew who he was talking about.
Once again, history has done a disservice to a black woman. In this case we have rightly honored Rosa Parks for what we thought she did. However, her life was fuller, more interesting and harder than we ever imagined.
I accepted the story of Parks and her decision not to move out of her bus seat as fact. Over the years, I had heard that Parks was involved in the civil rights movement for many years and that seemed likely. However, I really never considered what happened to Parks and her family after the bus boycott.
This is why reading and paying attention to history is so important. How can I, for whom facts are important, know what is going on if I don’t find the right information. I should know by now not to accept the “facts” as presented.
This is an excellent biography. Theoharis has done her research well and helped this reader to see not only Parks more clearly, but some of American history more clearly. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in 20th century America.
leslie_turner0121's review against another edition
5.0
I received a classroom set of this book from the Zinn Project so I wanted to read it before I put it out for my high schoolers to read. It’s AMAZING! I didn’t know half the stuff I thought I did about Mrs. Parks and am so glad I now know. She was an absolutely amazing woman and will be teaching my students much of the info I learned in this book. It’s a must-read for anyone teaching US History and/or about civil rights.
theawardshow's review
5.0
Thorough and straight forward. Theoharis does a great job recounting Rosa's life & long history of activism, while also correcting many of the popular existing narratives about Rosa's life.
alisayre's review
3.0
This book is full of fascinating information about the life of Rosa Parks, and I'm glad I read it. However, it frequently seemed to repeat the same information previously discussed. I kept finding myself thinking I had inadvertently moved backwards and was rereading pages I'd already read, when I'm actuality the book was just repeating itself.
drkew's review
3.0
I was pretty familiar with Mrs. Parks's activism when she lived in Montgomery but I was less familiar with the extent to which her activism continued when she and her family moved to Detroit. This book (when read in conjunction w/other texts like McGuire's At the Dark End of the Street), helps readers to learn about Mrs. Parks's lifelong commitment to civil rights.
annebennett1957's review against another edition
4.0
Finally a thorough look at Rosa Parks whole life of activism not just her one act of defiance. This account also gives the reader a good look at the whole civil rights movement 1940s through the 1990s. This version is the Young Reader's Edition which was co-written by Brandy Colbert. It is long and thorough, a must purchase for all high school and public libraries.
britlovestoread's review
5.0
This is a remarkable account of Rosa Park's life as a truly radical activist both before, during, and after the Mongtomery Bus Boycott.
Parks' quiet, unassuming, and well-mannered demeanor is well known, but her radical politics - not so much. There is so much many of us have missed based on the way she and her actions (and the entire Civil Rights movement in general) have been taught.
The book details how she was always active and playing whatever role she could to stand against injustice, and had plenty of thoughts on social issues and the way many leaders in the movement were handling them. It was so interesting to see some of the complexities regarding Parks and King's relationship, as well as many other prominent activists.
I was in tears at several different points while reading this book. I was particularly moved by the way Nelson Mandela greeted Parks, and the way she revered Malcolm X and was always so passionate about and fueled by the younger activists emerging during her generation. I was blown away by how severe her economic hardships became after her original arrest on the bus. She also mentioned on more than one occasion how difficult that day was since even though there were 2 or 3 other Black women asked to move at the same time, she ended up taking that original stand on her own.
This book was so detailed and insightful, and pretty well organized considering how many layers needed to be sorted through. I definitely recommend.
Parks' quiet, unassuming, and well-mannered demeanor is well known, but her radical politics - not so much. There is so much many of us have missed based on the way she and her actions (and the entire Civil Rights movement in general) have been taught.
The book details how she was always active and playing whatever role she could to stand against injustice, and had plenty of thoughts on social issues and the way many leaders in the movement were handling them. It was so interesting to see some of the complexities regarding Parks and King's relationship, as well as many other prominent activists.
I was in tears at several different points while reading this book. I was particularly moved by the way Nelson Mandela greeted Parks, and the way she revered Malcolm X and was always so passionate about and fueled by the younger activists emerging during her generation. I was blown away by how severe her economic hardships became after her original arrest on the bus. She also mentioned on more than one occasion how difficult that day was since even though there were 2 or 3 other Black women asked to move at the same time, she ended up taking that original stand on her own.
This book was so detailed and insightful, and pretty well organized considering how many layers needed to be sorted through. I definitely recommend.
sarful's review
5.0
What a great look at Rosa Parks the civil rights activist. She pays close attention to what Rosa did before and after the bus boycott with careful detail and it's so refreshing go read. I very much enjoyed every word. Why a woman Rosa was. And her legacy is that much more rich.