http://omekahst251.jenniferandrella.com/admin/items/show/49
The visual document that I chose was a photograph of Rosa Parks while she attended the March on Washington. This photo caught my attention because although it was in black and white, the photo of her was so clear. What I love so much is how beautiful Rosa Parks was. She was dressed to elegant, the pearls around her neck, her purse, everything. She seemed to have such a sweet and soft spirit. To think of her to be so soft-spoken and to know the impact she has made excites me. To know that she dealt with so much, she didn’t look like what she went through. I think it’s so important to embrace the positive moments in times that were only looked to be devastating.
http://omekahst251.jenniferandrella.com/admin/items/show/50
The text document that I chose was titled “The Troubles of the Boycott Heroine”. This document was a letter written by Lasker Smith, the president of the NAACP, appealing for help for Rosa Parks. During this time, Parks was ill, in debt, and unable to afford health care. The reason I chose this document because it showed empathy and care. If Smith didnt care about the well-being of Rosa Parks, he wouldn’t have reached out for help. This shows me that she was more than just someone that didnt move off the bus, but she was someone who was cared for.
Often we forget that these activists were real people with real struggles. Rosa Parks didnt get paid to not get up, she didnt gets paid to boycott, this was her life. This was her standing up for herself, being bold, making history. With all the amazing things that she did, she still had needs, she still had struggles. I love that there were people who saw her need and struggles and took the initiative to help her.
I think the research question that the photo may raise is what was the role and impact of Rosa Parks during the March on Washington? Was she just there to walk? Did she have a speech? Was she just there for media coverage?
With the text document, the question I have is to what extent did the director of the NAACP extend to help Rosa Parks?
Thank you for sharing these two historical sources and offering such strong reflections about them! The metadata in Omeka looks great as well. What I especially appreciate about this post is how it connects the Civil Rights Movement of the twentieth century as one of the significance legacies to come out of resistance in slavery prior to 1865. Although separated by nearly a century, there is a significant trajectory of empowerment that is incredibly important. I also agree that we have a tendency to see activists as superhuman or as people who were always destined to become amazing, but activists (like Rosa Parks) are normal, everyday people who happen to do extraordinary things. It is within everyone’s capability to make a difference in someone else’s life.