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Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks

Author: Jeanne Theoharis

“Jeanne’s book not only inspired the documentary but has been a catalyst in changing our national understanding of Rosa Parks. Highly recommend!”
—Soledad O’Brien, executive producer of the Peabody Award–winning documentary The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks

The NAACP Image Award–winning book that has helped redefine the public understanding of the civil rights icon—revealing her to be a radical and committed activist

The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks is the definitive political biography of Parks, examining her 6 decades of activism and challenging passive perceptions of her contributions in the civil rights movement.

Including a new introduction titled “Nine Ways to Be Like Rosa Parks in the Age of Black Lives Matter,” public historian Jeanne Theoharis provides vital insight the her life and activism. She not only reveals Parks’s personal, financial, and political struggles, but also highlights the danger of the “quiet seamstress” narrative, especially in an age where civil rights activism can be weaponized against those working for change.

Presenting a powerful corrective to the popular iconography of Rosa Parks, Theoharis excavates her political philosophy and 6 decades of activism. By detailing the political depth of a national heroine who dedicated her life to fighting inequality, Theoharis resurrects a civil rights movement radical who has been hidden in plain sight far too long, further showing how Parks and others helped pave the way for future activist organizations.