“I was born 50 years after slavery, in 1913. I was allowed to read. My mother, who was a teacher, taught me when I was a very young child. The first school I attended was a small building that went from first to sixth grade. There was one teacher for all of the students. There could be anywhere from 50 to 60 students of all different ages.”
- February 4, 1913 – October 24, 2005
- American
- Civil Rights Activist, Symbol of the Montgomery Bus Boycott
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Quote
“I was born 50 years after slavery, in 1913. I was allowed to read. My mother, who was a teacher, taught me when I was a very young child. The first school I attended was a small building that went from first to sixth grade. There was one teacher for all of the students. There could be anywhere from 50 to 60 students of all different ages.”
Explanation
In this quote, Rosa Parks reflects on her early life and education, painting a vivid picture of the modest yet formative conditions in which she grew up. Her mention of being born “50 years after slavery” emphasizes the proximity of her birth to that era—a reminder that freedom from slavery did not mean equality or opportunity. Her education, enabled by a literate mother, became a source of empowerment in a world where many Black children were denied access to quality schooling.
Parks describes attending a crowded, one-room schoolhouse with limited resources and a single teacher responsible for dozens of students. This scene captures the systemic disparities in education for Black children in the segregated South. Despite these hardships, her ability to learn to read and her mother’s dedication to teaching laid the groundwork for the intellectual and moral strength that would define her life.
Today, her recollection serves as a powerful reminder that education has long been both a battleground and a beacon for African Americans. Parks’ story illustrates how determination and family support can nurture resilience even in the most unequal circumstances. It also highlights the ongoing struggle for equitable education and the importance of investing in every child’s right to learn and grow, regardless of background.
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