Rosa Parks, "the first lady of the Civil Rights Movement," was born February 1st, 1913, in Tuskegee, Alabama. On December 1st, 1955, Parks was arrested after refusing a bus driver's demand to give up her seat to a white passenger. Her courageous act of defiance inspired the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Today, Parks is revered for her principled stand against racial segregation. However, in 1955, Parks faced significant backlash for her actions, including the loss of her job and threats of violence. In 1999, the U.S. Congress awarded her the Congressional Gold Medal.
