Myths and Heroes : Rosa Park

The notion I am going to present is Myths and Heroes. First, I would like to give a definition of those two

words. A myth is above all, a story and may or may not be a fiction. They have a great symbolic power

and that is the reason why they survived for so long . It is also a cultural identity where society

recognizes itself. A hero is a person of distinguished courage and who is admired for his brave deeds

and noble qualities . He is usually a source of inspiration for others being a role model . There are two

types of heroes. There are imaginary heroes , endowed with superpowers. And there are real heroes :

who contribute to change the world’s history and make the world a better place .In order to tackle this

notion , I am going to approach the segregation period where many people got involved and fought for

the civil rights . So it would be interesting to discuss whether those people where considered as heroes

or not at that time .

After the abolition of slavery in 1865, began the segregation period , where white and “colored” people

where “equal but separate”. The establishment of the Jim Crow Laws made with racial discrimination a

social and legal system . The civil Rights Movement came as a response to segregation . Many people

from all backgrounds fought for their rights , they were called the civil rights heroes .

the Brown VS Board of education case in 1954 was one of the first achievements against segregation .

Indeed, school segregation was declared anti constitutional by the supreme court. They tested it by

sending 9 teenagers in little rock central high, an all white school : the little rock nine .

moreover, In 1955, the action of Rosa Parks sparked the protest against segregation . Indeed, she

refused to give up her seat for white people on the bus until she was taken into custody. Her courage at

that night was so admired and taken as an example by all African Americans . It incited indeed the

Montgomery Bus Boycott , led by martin lutheer king juniot. It lasted over a year and resulted in the end

of bus segregation . MLK’s action didn’t stop there. Indeed, he was a permanent activist and the leader

of the NAACP ( National Association for the advancement of colored people ) , whose ideas where

inspired from Ghandi’s non violent action . For instance, we studied a text who illustrates one of the

means of protest : sit ins. Indeed, it states that African Americans have adopted a non violent protest

technique that fights discrimination at lunch counters, cafeterias, libraries and beaches. MLK also

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