Rosa Parks, the "Mother of The Civil Rights Movement", is one of the most important citizens of the 20th century. In December, 1955, she was tired from a long day of work. Under other circumstances, she would have probably given up her seat with no complaints. But this time Parks was upset and tired of the treatment the African-Americans were receiving every day from racism, segregation, and the Jim Crow laws in effect at that time. The bus driver had her arrested, and she was tried and convicted of violating a local ordinance. Parks' act started a citywide boycott of the bus system by African-Americans that lasted for more than a year. As a result of the Montgomery bus boycott in November of 1956, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that segregation on transportation is unconstitutional.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was born January 15, 1929,

Harriet Ross was born into slavery in 1819, in Dorchester County, Maryland. Harriet was known as a black "Moses" because she believed that God selected her to lead her people out of slavery. In 1849, at the age of twenty-nine Harriet feared that she would be sold to the South; so she made her escape. She had faithfully gone down to Egypt and had delivered six-bondmen by her own heroism. Harriet's success was wonderful. Time and time again she made visits to Maryland on the Underground Railroad and made preparations for herself and her passengers. The idea of being captured by slave-hunters or slaveholders seemed to never enter her mind. Half of the time, she had the appearance of someone asleep and would actually sit down by the roadside and go fast asleep. In all, she is believed to have delivered approximately 300 persons to freedom in the North. She died on March 10, 1913, and was buried with military honors in Auburn, New York.

The four people cited above played a very important role in American history. They are not acknowledged like other significant figures whom are not of the African-American race. They are all examples of courage, determination, and an inspiration for all Americans to remain free. As we sit on the verge of war and argue in rage over its justification, these four people just wanted peace and to be created equal. Throughout history, slavery was justified in many ways, not least of which that people of color we

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