Rosa Parks was born on February 4, 1913, in Tuskegee, Alabama. Her early childhood was marked by the challenges of growing up in the racially segregated South. As a child, Parks lived with her mother, Leona, who was a teacher, and her grandparents, who instilled in her the values of education and resistance to injustice.
Parks attended a segregated school, where she faced the realities of systemic racism firsthand. From an early age, she experienced the limitations placed on African Americans, which deeply influenced her views on equality and civil rights. Despite these challenges, Parks was an avid learner and displayed a strong sense of independence.
In her formative years, she often faced racial discrimination, particularly when she and her family would travel. This constant exposure to inequality sparked her desire for change and began to shape her identity as a civil rights activist.
Rosa’s childhood was not just defined by adversity; it was also filled with strong influences from her family, particularly her mother and grandmother, who were both committed to education and instilled a sense of pride and resilience in her. These experiences laid the foundation for her later role in the civil rights movement, as she learned that standing up against injustice was crucial.