What movement did Rosa Parks' actions help ignite?

• A. The Civil Rights Movement
• B. The Women's Movement
• C. The Labor Movement
• D. The Immigration Reform Movement

Answer: (A)

Rosa Parks' refusal to give up her seat on a Montgomery, Alabama bus to a white man on December 1, 1955, is often seen as a pivotal moment that sparked the Civil Rights Movement in the United States. Her courageous act of defiance against racial segregation laws mobilized the African American community and led to the Montgomery Bus Boycott, which lasted for over a year. This boycott not only highlighted the injustices of segregation but also galvanized activists and ordinary citizens alike to fight against systemic racism and for civil rights, ultimately leading to significant legislative changes in the following years.

The events following Parks' actions included the formation of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) and heightened national awareness of the struggle for civil rights. These developments helped lay the groundwork for many future efforts aimed at achieving equality and justice, making her a symbol of the broader Civil Rights Movement that sought to dismantle segregation and discrimination across the nation.