Every activist gets their inspiration from somewhere, Maya Angelou and Rosa Parks are no different. Maya and Rosa were both activists, both led similar lives and yet so different as well. Both women were born in the south and experienced discrimination, racism, and overcame struggles. Both women lived with segregation became educated and learned about civil rights. Both women became activists, authors and won awards.
At a young age both women overcame struggles, were discriminated against, and felt the effects of racism. Maya Angelou's parents split up and she and her older brother went to live with her fathers parents. One day on a trip to visit her mother at the age of seven she was raped by her mothers boyfriend. She told her brother what had happened and he told their uncle. It is unclear but believed that her uncle killed the man who raped her, because she thought that by her telling her brother what had happened her voice had killed a man and she became a mute for over five years. Rosa Park's parents split up so she and her mother went to live with her mother's parents who were both former slaves and were both advocates for racial equality. They lived on a farm and she would witness her grandfather sitting outside with a gun as the Klu Klux Klan would come down the road.
Segregation had a big impact in both women's lives shaping who they would become. Rosa attended a one room black school that lacked supplies sometimes even desks and she was forced to walk to school, no matter the distance. Meanwhile whites had a brand-new school and transportation. Her Sophomore year she quit school to take care of her sick grandmother and never returned. She got a job at a t-shirt factory, and at age 19 she got her High School Diploma. Maya got a scholarship to dance and act at California Labor School. From here she began her journey in civil rights; she became a member of the Harlem Writers Guild and served as coordinator of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.
Because of the life they lived so far both women fought in their own way for equality. Maya having went to school for acting was on the stage touring Broadways all over. She even released an album. A friend urged her to write her stories; she wrote a memoir "I know why the caged bird sings" -the first non-fiction best seller by an African woman. She also wrote "On the pulse of the morning" which she wrote for and read at President Bill Clinton's inauguration. She wrote many Books, Plays, and Poems that either won or were nominated for prestigious awards. Maya was good friends With Martin Luther King Jr. and he was assassinated on her birthday, she didn't celebrate it for many years afterwards. Rosa had married Raymond Parks and was a member of the NAACP. She was actively involved in civil rights as a youth leader and secretary to E.D. Nixon. After a long shift at the factory Rosa, tired of giving in refused to give up her seat on the segregated bus on Dec 1st 1955, she was arrested and released on bail the same day. The NAACP began forming plans asking blacks to walk to work or take black-owned cabs. On Dec 5th Rosa, on her way to court was met by about 500 local supporters. Rosa's trial triggered the Montgomery Bus Boycott which lasted for 381 days. The city of Montgomery had no choice but to lift the segregation enforcement on public buses. The boycott is one of the most successful and longest mass movements against racial segregation in history. Rosa published "My Story" and "Quiet Strength" she received the Spring Ham Medal, MLKJ Award and in 1996 the Presidential Metal of Freedom and Congressional Gold Medal
Because these women struggled at such young ages they became leaders, activists, writers and they changed the world and the way it is today. Rosa changed the world physically in Montgomery Alabama with the boycott and Maya with her poetry and writings of her stories, play writes and memoirs.
At a young age both women overcame struggles, were discriminated against, and felt the effects of racism. Maya Angelou's parents split up and she and her older brother went to live with her fathers parents. One day on a trip to visit her mother at the age of seven she was raped by her mothers boyfriend. She told her brother what had happened and he told their uncle. It is unclear but believed that her uncle killed the man who raped her, because she thought that by her telling her brother what had happened her voice had killed a man and she became a mute for over five years. Rosa Park's parents split up so she and her mother went to live with her mother's parents who were both former slaves and were both advocates for racial equality. They lived on a farm and she would witness her grandfather sitting outside with a gun as the Klu Klux Klan would come down the road.
Segregation had a big impact in both women's lives shaping who they would become. Rosa attended a one room black school that lacked supplies sometimes even desks and she was forced to walk to school, no matter the distance. Meanwhile whites had a brand-new school and transportation. Her Sophomore year she quit school to take care of her sick grandmother and never returned. She got a job at a t-shirt factory, and at age 19 she got her High School Diploma. Maya got a scholarship to dance and act at California Labor School. From here she began her journey in civil rights; she became a member of the Harlem Writers Guild and served as coordinator of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.
Because of the life they lived so far both women fought in their own way for equality. Maya having went to school for acting was on the stage touring Broadways all over. She even released an album. A friend urged her to write her stories; she wrote a memoir "I know why the caged bird sings" -the first non-fiction best seller by an African woman. She also wrote "On the pulse of the morning" which she wrote for and read at President Bill Clinton's inauguration. She wrote many Books, Plays, and Poems that either won or were nominated for prestigious awards. Maya was good friends With Martin Luther King Jr. and he was assassinated on her birthday, she didn't celebrate it for many years afterwards. Rosa had married Raymond Parks and was a member of the NAACP. She was actively involved in civil rights as a youth leader and secretary to E.D. Nixon. After a long shift at the factory Rosa, tired of giving in refused to give up her seat on the segregated bus on Dec 1st 1955, she was arrested and released on bail the same day. The NAACP began forming plans asking blacks to walk to work or take black-owned cabs. On Dec 5th Rosa, on her way to court was met by about 500 local supporters. Rosa's trial triggered the Montgomery Bus Boycott which lasted for 381 days. The city of Montgomery had no choice but to lift the segregation enforcement on public buses. The boycott is one of the most successful and longest mass movements against racial segregation in history. Rosa published "My Story" and "Quiet Strength" she received the Spring Ham Medal, MLKJ Award and in 1996 the Presidential Metal of Freedom and Congressional Gold Medal
Because these women struggled at such young ages they became leaders, activists, writers and they changed the world and the way it is today. Rosa changed the world physically in Montgomery Alabama with the boycott and Maya with her poetry and writings of her stories, play writes and memoirs.
Nice comparison and contrast essay, Adreanna, and excellent use of the internet as a resource. There are lots of intriguing nuggets of information here that could be built on for an even longer essay. We aren't going to do that here, but keep that in mind.
ReplyDeleteCan you please add a visual of each of them, and one or two quotes from their writing/words to this post? It will give it depth. I'll be checking on Friday.
I have added a couple photos with quotes. Please review.
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