Our CWB visit to the Rosa Parks Museum today was more powerful than I expected. The replica bus hit me and really helped me feel the weight of what transpired that day in 1955. What struck me most was how ordinary Rosa Parks seemed in the exhibits, just a tired everyday lady going home from work, but her courage sparked motivation in so many ways.
At the museum, the interactive timeline of the boycott was eye-opening. I truly didn’t realize how long people walked, carpooled, and sacrificed just to make a point about basic dignity and humanity. The museum does a great job pointing out that this wasn’t just one moment but a sustained community effort that spread much further than Montgomery.
What I’m most appreciative of is how individual acts of courage can ripple into movements that change everything and impact people for generations. Ms. Parks didn’t set out to be a hero or symbol that day, she was just tired of the daily injustices. Hence why she asked the police officers why they push black people around. Interestingly enough, the police officer answered by saying, “I don’t know, the law is the law.” Sometimes the most important thing you can do is call out injustice and simply refuse to accept what’s wrong, even when it’s uncomfortable and in Ros’s case, dangerous.
When I feel hopeless during current acts of injustice in our society and what we are experiencing today, I try to remember what those who fought back then experienced. If they can survive and prevail, we can certainly get through current times with the proper strategies and mindsets. So far, our observations and conversations have been confirmation of the strength of a people who refuse to quit.