I was born 50 years
â
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.
â
Meaning
This quote reflects on being born after slavery but still within segregation, and on how education from her mother shaped her early life.
About Author
Rosa Parks
Rosa Parks was an American civil rights activist celebrated for her pivotal role in the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Her quotes often reflect courage, justice, and dignity. Parks inspires activists, students, and citizens to stand against injustice, embrace civic responsibility, and advocate for equality and human rights.
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This quote means her refusal was not caused by physical exhaustion but by emotional exhaustion from enduring constant injustice.
â My only concern was to get home after a hard day's work. â
This quote emphasizes the plain humanity of her situation. After a long workday, she only wanted to get home.
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This quote means oppression leaves wounds that time only partly heals, especially when people are pressured to accept the false normal of unjust laws.