Every Monday in February, Valorie Clark is sharing an episode of her fascinating podcast Unruly Figures. It is Black History Month in the USA, so let’s learn some. There’s a lot about Rosa I bet you don’t know. —Jeff
I actually read something recently that said that not getting up from the bus was a premeditated act by Rosa Parks, encouraged by the NAACP who she worked for. A young 15 year old had the same thing happen to her several months before, so they planned this because they thought Rosa would make a better spokesperson (the girl got pregnant and wasn't married so they didn't want to use her as "the face"). I really love that because it shows the power, organization, and grit of black people fighting for equality at that time in America. It wasn't happenstance, it was an intelligent, calculated move that paid off.
In 1966, I was 12 living in Dover, Delaware. Three of us white A students were chosen to be bussed downtown to William Henry Middle School, a black school. We were innocent to skin color and accepted the changes. However, I was treated poorly by a black biology teacher. I made A's but reportcard was a C. I was harshly punished at home not being believed. This was my first experience with prejudice reversed. Rosa Parks was brave and stuck to her beliefs. I love her courage in a crucial tme in our country's healing of slavery. I dislike that my skin color has advantages I was born into. What racial prejudices have you personally encountered?
I actually read something recently that said that not getting up from the bus was a premeditated act by Rosa Parks, encouraged by the NAACP who she worked for. A young 15 year old had the same thing happen to her several months before, so they planned this because they thought Rosa would make a better spokesperson (the girl got pregnant and wasn't married so they didn't want to use her as "the face"). I really love that because it shows the power, organization, and grit of black people fighting for equality at that time in America. It wasn't happenstance, it was an intelligent, calculated move that paid off.
In 1966, I was 12 living in Dover, Delaware. Three of us white A students were chosen to be bussed downtown to William Henry Middle School, a black school. We were innocent to skin color and accepted the changes. However, I was treated poorly by a black biology teacher. I made A's but reportcard was a C. I was harshly punished at home not being believed. This was my first experience with prejudice reversed. Rosa Parks was brave and stuck to her beliefs. I love her courage in a crucial tme in our country's healing of slavery. I dislike that my skin color has advantages I was born into. What racial prejudices have you personally encountered?