One of the most revered women in black history has died at age 92. Rosa Parks served as an ambassador and advocate for the rights of blacks across the nation.
Her adamant refusal to give up her seat to a white person served as a testimony for blacks all around the world. Parks’ fight rang across the country and ignited a mass boycott of the Montgomery bus system, which later went bankrupt.
Because of Rosa Parks, blacks and other minorities are able to ride a desegregated bus system. Since we are in a time where everything is fast-paced and material things take the place of true priority, we need to sit back and realize the magnitude of what she has done.
Indirectly, Parks has taught us a withstanding lesson- in order to achieve, we need to persevere. This message has lost its strength in the last few decades due to our ability to conform in the American Diaspora.
The privilege of being a black college student started off as a dream of our predecessors, but is now attainable by every black youth in America. This is not just a testimony to Rosa Parks and what she fought for, it is a testimony to the recognition of what our ancestors and those before us have done.
Yes, when we graduate from this University we can say that we owe it all to our parents. However, realistically, we owe this to the ‘Martin Luther King Jr.’s, ‘the Rosa Parks’, the ‘Ida B. Wells’ and the ‘Malcolm Xs’. Unlike other black history makers Parks served a full life and continued to contribute to the black community.
It shouldn’t even take a great person to leave us in order to realize their contributions that have made our lives better. I credit so much of my privileges to those that have come before me. I tip my hat to those people of ALL races that have died, marched and struggled so I can have the opportunities that they did not.
As we lay Ms. Parks down to rest, I want everyone to truly reflect on what a dynamic person she was and her contribution to the American culture. Parks, although small in stature, stood up for what she believed in and cause a movement bigger than what she imagined. From that, we can learn for her.
Nowadays, we face obstacles that are really against us but through our perseverance and hard work we can overcome anything. Take this as food for thought and run with it.
Nyerere Davidson is a third-year public relations student from Milwaukee. He can be reached at nyejournal@hotmail.com.