The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks
By Colbert and Theoharis
The name Rosa Parks conjures up images of her most famous act of defiance, refusing to give up her seat to a white man on a segregated bus in Montgomery, Alabama. Upon reading “The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Parks,” the readers will see a pattern of rebellion that started when Mrs. Parks was a young girl and never really ended until her death in 2005. She fought for black people, especially for black women, for over 60 years. Rosa Parks was an activist and an organizer as one of the few women holding an office in the NAACP. She marched with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and she went to the rallies of Malcolm X. The bus incident which led to a 2 year bus boycott and the eventual desegregation of public transportation is only one example of her activism. The full story of Rosa Parks is more traumatic and heart-rendering than the textbook portrayal of a tired seamstress who refused to give up her seat on a bus. She and her family endured criticism, threatening phone calls, police brutality, and more. After the famous bus incident, she and her husband were fired from their jobs which led to their eventual move to Detroit. As much as the readers want to believe racism was exclusive to the Southern states, both Mrs. Parks and her husband experienced bigotry during their time spent in Michigan as well. Known the world over in contemporary times, she was often overlooked as a leader during her own time because she was a black woman. Rosa Parks allowed her actions to speak for her during a time when speeches made men famous.
Authors Jeanne Theoharis and Brandy Colbert have created a thorough tome for readers who truly want to understand Mrs. Parks’ life. The two-dimensional version most people encounter does not paint an accurate picture of Mrs. Park's hopes, dreams, struggles, heartbreaks, and successes. The writing style flows seamlessly drawing the readers into her world. The authors invite you to be a part of the narrative and experience the life of Rosa Parks. The addition of journal entries in Mrs. Park’s own handwriting and actual photos lend to the authenticity of the stories.
Verdict: Any library that includes grades 6 - 12 should add “The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Parks'' to its collection.
