Rosa Parks

In honor of Black History Month, The Cardinal will feature a prominent and/or historical Black Americans, living or dead, who have worked toward change, advancement, and/or world peace. Some of them are heroes, and some are unsung heroes who deserve recognition, and have made contributions to make society a better place.

Dhalia Arriaga, Staff Writer

February 7, 2025

Rosa Parks was born in Tuskegee, Alabama on February 4th, 1913 and passed away on October 24, 2005.

Parks was an African American who fought for equal rights by refusing to give up her seat to a white passenger on the bus and was arrested. This event took place in Montgomery Alabama, on December 1, 1955.

Parks helped end segregation on buses and inspired the civil rights movement. The boycott was organized by Martin Luther King and other civil rights leaders. They refused to use city buses and instead used other forms of transportation like walking or carpooling. The boycott lasted 381 days and ended up affecting the bus system financially due to African Americans not using the buses as transportation. So then the boycott ended on December 20, 1956 because the supreme court said that bus segregation was illegal.

After this event it inspired more civil rights actions. Parks taught the world to not let inequality define them as a person. Parks proved that anyone can make a difference by standing up for what’s right. And that’s her legacy because she was able to demonstrate that changes are possible. She was that one person who impacted everyone’s life in a positive way. She made sure to fight for equal rights. Her actions still encourage people to stand up when there is inequality going on.

Even though racism is unfortunately still a big thing, she gave the black community a huge step forward in which they stopped segregation. If it wasn’t for her, it would have still been going on for years but thankfully a brave person was able to stand up for not only herself but every person of color. She influenced others to use their voice whenever they see injustice because nobody deserves to be treated unfairly.

About the Contributor

Dhalia Arriaga, Staff Writer

Dhalia Arriaga is a senior in Hoover High. Dhalia’s biggest dream has always been to make her parents proud. She wants to make her parents proud because she knows that her parents sacrificed so much for her and her sisters. After high school, she plans on attending a four year college and going into the medical field to become a neonatal nurse. To change the world Dhalia would advocate for easier access to health care because she knows that it can be hard for many people to get help without having the money. She also thinks that society can improve health care by ensuring people have affordable access to medical care.