December 1, 1955, Montgomery, Alabama, when Rosa Parks refused to move

Every body that was part of Civil Rights movement is important. But, on December 1, 1955, Rosa Lee Parks refused to relinquish her seat to a white passenger on a racially segregated Montgomery, Alabama bus. By this simple act, which today would seem unremarkable, she set in motion the civil rights movement, which led to Civil Rights Act of 1964 and ultimately ensured that today all African American must be given equal treatment with whites under the law. …

…Spingarn Medal. In 1980, at the 25th anniversary celebration of the bus boycott, Parks was awarded the Martin Luther King Jr. Non-violent Peace Prize. In 1984, she was given the Eleanor Roosevelt Woman of Courage Award. All these award and the previous history states that Rosa Parks is not only a national hero but also the Mother of the Civil Rights Movement. She was a shy girl who stood up against racism and fought for her freedom.