I admit I only knew of Rosa Parks as the courageous lady who refused to give up her bus seat to a white man in Montgomery, Alabama, resulting in the bus boycott and eventual desegregation of the busing system in Montgomery. But this brave act was only part of her work to restore dignity to the African American people in America. Rosa worked along side of Martin Luther King, Congressman John Conyers in Michigan, and other prominent civil rights workers during her lifetime. She was most proud of the time she devoted to instilling young African American children with pride in their heritage. This was a well researched, scholarly, and interesting book. ( )

Well done academic biography (with footnotes) to complement her autobiography and historian Douglass H's biography. My only complaint is that Theoharis discredits Walter Reuther's UAW stance on black auto workers. This view doesn't jive with my other impressions of Reuther that I've read in the NYT and elsewhere. I can't even remember at this point what was said about him but it may not be correct. I'd have to double-check. ( )

Theoharis offers a dense and well-researched history of the life of Mrs. Rosa Parks. Eloquently worded, this text provides a variety of important stories to explain how Parks navigated life in the south and refused to give up regardless of the circumstances. I was most struck by the conclusion. In "'Racism is Still Alive': Negotiating the Politics of Being a Symbol," Theoharis intersperses the facts of the assault on 89-year old Parks with quotes and provides a thorough and appropriate response to the circumstances. Theoharis understands how to write with objectivity and manages to provide the evidence in such a way that the narrative speaks for itself: your heart breaks for Parks, and your heart breaks for the current state of society. It's not a quick and easy read; the content itself is heavy. It is well-worth the time it takes to read it and it is worth pushing through the first few pages to jump into the narrative arc of the story. I marked it down to 4 stars because some of the chapters seem inaccessible if you don't have an academic background, but perhaps this thread is more common in biographies than I realized. ( )

This biography of Mrs. Parks is very well researched and written. I found it informed my understanding of Mrs. Parks as a fully-rounded activist, as well as it illuminated my view of the historical times in which she worked to combat prejudice and inequality. Highly recommended. ( )

Who in this country has not heard of Mrs. Rosa Parks? Yet, on the flip side of this same coin, how much do we know of her and her life? Many might think they do, yet Jeanne Theoharris' informative biography is a remarkable effort in fully answering that question. Written from an admittedly Leftist perspective, Ms. Theoharris explores Mrs. Park's life in a comprehensive and informative manner. While there is the occasional, in my mind, talking down to the reader, it is more than over-matched by the sheer volume of research and scholarship that is evident in every page. Refuting myth, defying ritual and stereotype, Ms. Theoharris has crafted a remarkable life history of a truly remarkable individual. Rosa Parks was no historical accident or footnote. All of her life she worked tirelessly for the causes she believed in, defying not only segregation and bigotry, but also gender discrimination (in both White, African-American, and church cultures), ageism (she was always a strong supporter of young people), and political biases. From the beginnings of her life in Alabama to her subsequent relocating to Michigan, Mrs. Parks fought wrongs whenever and wherever she encountered them. From walking in Montgomery to walking in front of the South African embassy in Washington, Mrs. Parks lived her life as the biography's title so aptly and rightly says, rebelliously. If only all of us possessed a fraction of her courage and will. ( )