Part Three: Rosa

Rosa, written by Nikki Giovanni and illustrated by Bryan Collier, tells the iconic story of Mrs. Rosa Parks and the start of the Montgomery bus boycott. The text and images provide a powerful yet personal account of one of the most important events of the 20th century. In contrast to many children's books which depict Mrs. Parks as a "tired, elderly seamstress," Giovanni and Collier carefully present an accurate portrayal of Mrs. Parks as well as other actors in the boycott, such as Jo Ann Robinson. We recommend teachers pair the reading with first-person narratives and primary source documents and ask students to investigate some of the myths surrounding the iconic event.