Rosa Parks, The Narrative and Counter-narrative

In class, we briefly mentioned the narrative of Rosa Parks and the intentionality behind actions within activism. Rosa Parks is depicted in American History textbooks as acting in the moment, as an isolated incident of activism in a difficult situation. Rosa Parks reacted to the social normalization of black inferiority. She has been quoted in saying that she was not any more physically tired than any other work day, but rather was “tired of giving in” (Dreier, 2006). However, this narrative silencing her background in the early stages of the Civil Rights Movement. Rosa Parks worked closely with the NAACP as secretary and director of youth services in the 1940s and ‘50s. Her reputation is why her arrest was highly publicized and taken aback so dramatically. Parks had friends in high places that allowed her to have the social capital to become an icon. After being aware of the incident, Nixon went posted Parks's bond at the jail, and asked her for permission to use her case to challenge the city's bus segregation laws. (Deier, 2006).

Retrospectively, Parks is celebrated, by all races for a narrative that does not fit the context of her mindset. In the case of American history, African Americans must use the strategies and tactics of activism in spontaneous and thought out efforts (Dreier, 2006). She is marveled as a pioneer figure, but was not the first freedom fighter or nonviolent activist. The original freedom fighters were defiant slaves and those who fought against the rise of slavery. Slavery was incestuous with capitalism and was built off of the free and cheap labor of black bodies sold and abused. The ‘tire Rosa Parks’ narrative serves to silence opposition to the pretty timeline of the Civil Rights Movement, created by the White leaders making our history textbooks. Instances of activism play off of the institutional and social constructions of race relations. People are acting in response to the environmental protocols and ideologies with communities.

Source: Dreier, Peter. "Rosa Parks: Angry, Not Tired." Dissent. 53.1 (2007): 88-92. Print.