Business Leadership
Final Exam Topic Paper
Rosa Louise McCauley Parks by Barbara Laugen
Business Leadership
Spring Term 2013
Rosa Louise McCauley Parks, many simply know of her as Rosa Parks, is one of the most amazing women in history. She achieved more things in her life than most people only dream about. Many people today look at Rosa as one of the greatest leaders of her time and she is still read about and talked about in schools all over the world. You are going learn a little about Rosa’s history and some of her biggest achievements. You will also learn about the characteristics that made Rosa Parks a leader and why I chose her to write about. On February 4, 1913 in Tuskegee, Alabama, Rosa Louise McCauley Parks was born. Rosa was an African American civil rights activist. When Rosa was young her parents separated and her mother moved them to live with Rosa’s grandparents. Both Rose and Sylvester Edwards were former slaves and extremely strong advocates for racial quality. Rosa spent most of her childhood living on the family farm. She even watched as her grandfather stood in front of their home with a shot gun while the KKK marched down their street. Rosa was not unused to the abuse inflicted upon the African American people. Despite all the hardships they encountered, Rosa’s mother made sure to continue educating Rosa and taught her to read at a young age. Rosa attended a segregated, one-room school in Pine Level, Alabama. The African American schools were very different than those attended by white children. Rosa’s school lacked adequate supplies, such as desks. While the city provided bus transportation and a new school building for the white children, African American children were forced to walk to the schoolhouse for first through sixth grade. At age 11, Rosa attended the Industrial School for Girls until later transferring to Laboratory School for Secondary Education, which was led by the Alabama