The recent passing of Rosa Parks, civil rights pioneer, who died at age 92, gives pause to reflect upon her contributions. Their significance is summarized as follows:

Most historians date the beginning of the modern civil rights movement in the United States to December 1, 1955. That was the day when an unknown seamstress in Montgomery, Alabama refused to give up her bus seat to a white passenger. This brave woman, Rosa Parks, was arrested and fined for violating a city ordinance, but her lonely act of defiance began a movement that ended legal segregation in America, and made her an inspiration to freedom-loving people everywhere.
-- Biography of Rosa Parks - Academy of Achievement

Find library books, videos, and books on tape about Rosa Parks.

Her life serves as a reminder of what simple citizens can do to make a difference.

Find out about how conditions have changed over time in California, including Stockton, by studying books on race relations.