(Diversity Folio, 1-2).
As she got older, her life developed as every human life does. At the age of twenty, she married Raymond Parks, a barber, who encouraged her to complete her education. In 1934 she received her diploma from Alabama State College. While in school, she worked as a seamstress and housekeeper. When she was in her mid twenties, she became very involved in the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and was very active for about thirteen years. In 1943 she was elected Secretary of the NAACP Montgomery Chapter. She was also involved in the Montgomery Voters League, at the same time, a group that helped black citizens pass the many tests that had been created to make it hard for them to become legal voters. This league was a very challenging thing, but they had many successes through hard work and determination. (CBS Worldwide Inc, Feb. 2002).
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In 1955, Rosa Parks was forty-two years old and very well known and respected in the black community. This was the year in which Rosa Parks would stand out in history. Throughout her whole life she had fought segregation in her own way. She performed simple tasks, such as walking up the stairs of a building rather than riding in an elevator marked blacks only. She also went home thirsty instead of drinking from the colored only water fountain. Parks also preferred to walk home from work whenever possible to avoid sitting in the blacks only section in the back of the city bus. (Troy State University, April 2001).
In 1955, she decided to make a change. It wasn't a thought out plan or a group effort. Her decision to create change was based on her feelings at the time and her respect for herself. At the time of this occurrence she was very tired and she had just gotten out of work. "It took place on December first when she got onto the bus, rather than walking home. She took a seat in the first seat of the black section in the segregated bus.