Rosa Parks and the Bus
Rosa Parks lived in Montgomery, Alabama. She worked as a seamstress and sewed clothes.
At that time, the city had unfair laws. Black people had to sit in the back of the bus.
White people sat in the front of the bus. Rosa knew this rule was not fair.
Rosa worked with a group of friends for many years. They wanted fair rules and equal rights for everyone.
One day, Rosa rode the bus after work. She sat in an open seat in the middle.
The bus driver told Rosa to give up her seat. He wanted a white person to sit there.
Rosa stayed in her seat and said no. She was not just resting her feet.
Rosa took a brave stand for fairness. The police came and arrested her.
Her friends and neighbors heard the news. They decided to help Rosa.
The Black community stopped riding the city buses together. They walked to work and shared rides in cars.
They walked in the cold and in the rain. This peaceful protest lasted for over a year.
Finally, the highest court in the country made a ruling. The judges said buses could not separate people by race.
Rosa and her community showed great courage. They worked together to change an unfair law.
- seamstress:
- A person whose job is to sew and mend clothes.
- fairness:
- Treating everyone in a way that is right, honest, and equal.
- protest:
- An action where people show that they disagree with a rule or law.
- court:
- A place where judges make legal decisions about rules and laws.
- courage:
- Bravery to do what is right, even when it is hard or scary.
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Preview questions from this passageShowHide
- 1Where did Rosa Parks live?
- 2What job did Rosa Parks do?
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About this biography passage for 1st Grade
“Rosa Parks and the Bus” is a biography reading passage about Rosa Parks, written for 1st Grade. It takes about 1 minute to read (213 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.