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A review by gofortori
Reflections by Rosa Parks: The Quiet Strength and Faith of a Woman Who Changed a Nation by Rosa Parks
3.0
3 stars for the read, but 5 stars for the person.
Reflections by Rosa Parks: The Quiet Strength and Faith of a Woman Who Changed a Nation is a short read by Mrs. Parks herself, a series of vignettes and essays about her approach to life and fighting injustice – essentially where she draws her strength.
As someone who truly didn’t know that much about Rosa Parks before reading this book, it was illuminating for me – and sad in a way, that I didn’t learn about her life in school the way I should have. In my mind, Rosa was an average worker woman, who, on that fateful December day on the bus, had had enough and made a split-second decision. In reality, Rosa was purposeful about her fight against injustice and worked for the NAACP. She knew the consequences of her actions, and she knew that if she didn’t do something, no one else would.
It’s compelling to read about someone with that much purpose in her life. You rarely see that. Rosa is extremely centered in a strong, quiet way. She’s unflappable. She knows what she wants, where she’s going, and has faith in the next step to get her there.
An unintentional but informative component to this book was the behind-the-scenes process of how legacy works. Rosa Parks’ name would have faded out of cultural memory except for the active and intentional movement to preserve her legacy. This book is part of that movement. While Rosa Parks definitely deserves her place in the history books, it just goes to show that history is written by those who intentionally write it. If you are poor or don't have the resources to ensure a legacy like this, you likely won't have one.
A major takeaway from this book is Rosa Parks' idea of the potential for change as potential energy, in small pockets of people, just waiting for a flash point. I love that idea, as though while people pray for change, the universe is molding certain people and their life experiences so that they will respond at the crucial moment, just like Rosa Parks did.
Reflections by Rosa Parks: The Quiet Strength and Faith of a Woman Who Changed a Nation is a short read by Mrs. Parks herself, a series of vignettes and essays about her approach to life and fighting injustice – essentially where she draws her strength.
As someone who truly didn’t know that much about Rosa Parks before reading this book, it was illuminating for me – and sad in a way, that I didn’t learn about her life in school the way I should have. In my mind, Rosa was an average worker woman, who, on that fateful December day on the bus, had had enough and made a split-second decision. In reality, Rosa was purposeful about her fight against injustice and worked for the NAACP. She knew the consequences of her actions, and she knew that if she didn’t do something, no one else would.
It’s compelling to read about someone with that much purpose in her life. You rarely see that. Rosa is extremely centered in a strong, quiet way. She’s unflappable. She knows what she wants, where she’s going, and has faith in the next step to get her there.
An unintentional but informative component to this book was the behind-the-scenes process of how legacy works. Rosa Parks’ name would have faded out of cultural memory except for the active and intentional movement to preserve her legacy. This book is part of that movement. While Rosa Parks definitely deserves her place in the history books, it just goes to show that history is written by those who intentionally write it. If you are poor or don't have the resources to ensure a legacy like this, you likely won't have one.
A major takeaway from this book is Rosa Parks' idea of the potential for change as potential energy, in small pockets of people, just waiting for a flash point. I love that idea, as though while people pray for change, the universe is molding certain people and their life experiences so that they will respond at the crucial moment, just like Rosa Parks did.