Byron Choate
Want to Start a Revolution Essay
There are many similarities when comparing civil rights activists but the differences is what make them unique. The peaceful and violent movements each one can bring shows the power they have which brings about why they are important. The two activist I am comparing and contrasting is the great Rosa Parks and Shirley Chisolm. The reason for picking Shirley is because I found her bid for presidency very interesting. She was involved in political organizations for the civil rights movement. Rosa Parks is known for her peaceful and rebellious acts.
Many people would often talk about her being really quiet yet made the biggest impact in the civil rights movement. These women played major roles in the civil rights movement and ultimately spread their ideas peacefully. When comparing Rosa and Shirley it is easy to pick out the basic similarities such as being activist. What some people don’t know is that they did not just fight for African American rights. Both were involved in movements to get rights for women and the less wealthy. Rosa was involved in Planned Parenthood Federation fighting for women’s rights regarding abortion. Shirley also was into fighting abortion as she focused on it in her career.
While fighting for their own rights they were trying to help others which shows what kind of a person they are. Rosa and Shirley shared their beliefs and ideas by their actions. Rosa was known for sticking up for herself on a bus and would not move to the back which got her arrested. I read a quote from her that read “I was not physically tired, the only tired I was, was tired of giving in”. She was a peaceful rebel, silently spreading her brilliant ideas and changing the world yet never realizing it until the change began.
Shirley was involved with politics and eventually making history as she became the first black congresswoman. Eventually making a bid for presidency with the democratic party. Both of them were involved with the NAACP. Rosa was in the Montgomery chapter serving as the youth leader. Later on she is rewarded with the highest honor. Shirley was in a higher positon in her chapter of the NAACP and was loved by her chapter for making a difference by caring for everyone.
Rosa and Shirley are significant to the civil rights movement because Rosa refused to give up her seat and Shirley for trying to change how African Americans were treated by becoming a congressman. The last comparison I found was interesting to me and it is that Rosa and Shirley died in the same year which was 2005. While Rosa and Shirley are very alike because of their significance to the movement, everyone has their differences. Shirley went to college and eventually got her masters in early education. She started writing books and became an author after college then she got into politics which lead her to a position in the House of Representatives.
She focused on issues about veterans and education in the U.S. While she had a career and excelled in the classroom, Rosa was different. Rosa went to college but had to drop out because she chose to take care of her parents. After leaving college she got a job in a shirt factory. After Rosa got married she chose to go back to high school and get her diploma. Rosa and Shirley have different education backgrounds which is strange because Rosa is the “First lady of civil rights”. Another thing that separates the two is their views on important issues.
While Shirley wanted to focus on education, veterans and unemployment, Rosa thought resolving women’s rights and poverty was more important. The two were also involved in different organizations but overall the biggest difference between the two civil rights activist is their education background. Rosa and Shirley are two very significant leaders in the civil rights movement. Though they did different things to make an impact, they are valuable in their own way. Rosa making an impact because of saying no and later on joining organizations and becoming the face of the
