Gladwell's Outliers: Examining Rosa Parks

Gladwell’s Outliers: Examining Rosa Parks

Rosa Parks, a civil rights activist, was known for the courageous act in the 1950s. Parks was born on February 4, 1913, in Tuskegee, Alabama, and passed on October 24, 2005. However, her brave act did not go unnoticed as she was “… the first woman to lie in honor at the Capitol Rotunda” (The Biography). Parks faced racial discrimination, segregation, and hardship. Rosa Parks was arrested and charged with not giving up her seat for someone who was not of color. Rosa Parks' bravery not only play a great part of history, she received many accolades and is used as a great example of what is courage in school. Her actions were based on factors that helped her succeed. These factors are part of what Gladwell

According to Gladwell, “Practice isn't the thing you do once you're good. It's the thing you do that makes you good” (Outlier 42). Gladwell also mentions that for someone to be great, he or she must put in 10,000. Without a doubt, Rosa Parks is smart and successful; however, successful comes with long hours of practice. She continues to practice equal rights throughout her life. After the boycott, she eventually moved to Michigan. She works as a secretary for the U.S. Representative John Conyers. After that, she works as a board member for Planned Parenthood and founded an institute of Self-development. Parks understand that success cannot be achieved overnight and standing by what she works hard for required years of work and effort.

The next key to Parks’s success is the advantageous or time or place. It is clear that Rosa Parks had a disadvantage based on the color of her skin. In addition, many African Americans, like Parks, rely on the bus for transportation. This was also disadvantaged. However, she and many used this to their advantage by not taking the bus. She knew that this would cripple the transportation industry. Ultimately, this was a huge success to the downfall of

In Parks case, her refusal to give up her seat. That spoke volumes. Many people were affected by it. The African-Americans community stood by her decision and help her changed how people view African-Americans. The next key factor is emotional intelligence. Gladwell explains, “It is not how much money we make that ultimately makes us happy between nine and five” (Outlier). In most, if not all, cases, money doesn't buy happiness. Rich or poor people tend to seek happiness in personal growth. For Rosa Parks, she wanted the ability to sit anywhere, go anywhere, and become whatever she wanted to be. The color of her skin limited her. For this reason, she strives to achieve this success. During her lifetime, she received many accolades for her work within the African-Americans community, such as Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute for