Following in Parks' footsteps, From segregation to modern-day attacks on affirmative action, African-Americans will keep marching on NASSAU AND SUFFOLK Edition

Mrs. [Rosa Parks] was our newest hero. Sitting down like she did meant standing up to those who were "mean and wrong." That was something I wanted to do. The next day, so armored, I walked a gantlet of white hate; I walked in the footsteps of Rosa Parks. Looking back on those times, how po...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inNewsday
Main Author JANUS ADAMS. Janus Adams is the author of "Freedom Days," a history of the civil rights movement, and "Sister Days," a history of African-American women
Format Newspaper Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Long Island, N.Y Newsday LLC 27.10.2005
EditionCombined editions
Subjects
Affirmative action
African Americans
Parks, Rosa (1913-2005)
Till, Emmett (1941-1955)
Tubman, Harriet
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Summary:Mrs. [Rosa Parks] was our newest hero. Sitting down like she did meant standing up to those who were "mean and wrong." That was something I wanted to do. The next day, so armored, I walked a gantlet of white hate; I walked in the footsteps of Rosa Parks. Looking back on those times, how poignant it is that Rosa Parks' death comes just months after the loss of John H. Johnson, founder of Ebony and Jet magazines. It was Johnson who dared publish the photo of [Emmett Till]'s maimed and bloated body in Jet - the photo that seared Parks' soul, launching the civil rights movement that inspired and empowered a global revolt against segregation, apartheid and colonial rule. As a child, I looked at Mrs. Parks and saw Harriet Tubman. As an adult, I understand the eternal continuity of truth and time binding them to me. Rosa McCauley (Parks) was born on Feb. 4, 1913; a month later, Harriet Tubman died, on March 10, 1913, at age 93, as if knowing she could take her rest.