Rosa Parks is widely recognized as an essential leader throughout the civil rights movement. She was born on February 4th, 1913, in Tuskegee, Alabama. In 1943, Parks was elected as secretary when she joined the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). In 1949, she was promoted to an advisor of the NAACP Youth Council, and “Under her guidance, youth members challenged the Jim Crow system by checking books out of whites-only libraries” (King Papers). Then, on December 1st, 1955, Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat and was arrested, leading to the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Following her jail time, she was harassed and decided to move away. Rosa Parks’ beliefs were heavily influenced by the racism that she experienced. Being a victim of racism, she …show more content…
One of the core beliefs of transcendentalism is that “institutions exist because of the free actions of individuals” (Brodrick). This belief is individualism: a social theory that supports the freedom of action of individuals. This aligns with Rosa Parks’ beliefs because civil rights include the right to do things and not be judged or treated differently based on one's race, color, sex, national origin, or religion. On the contrary, Rosa Parks would not agree with the transcendentalist belief in idealism. Idealism suggests that societal problems can be solved with personal, moral and spiritual development. Parks believes that societal problems need to be solved by direct action, hence why she refused to give up her seat. I agree with many of Rosa Parks’ beliefs. Her views on civil rights that everyone should be treated equally no matter the race are morals that I hold close. However, I disagree with her views on the militant black power movement. I don’t agree that violence is a good way to promote change, and Martin Luther King also shares the same belief. No matter what I agree with or don’t, Rosa Parks still changed the