Witness History: Black history

How Rosa Parks took a stand against racism


Listen Later

Rosa Parks was brought up in Alabama during the Jim Crow era, when state laws enforced segregation in practically all aspects of daily life.

Public schools, water fountains, trains and buses all had to have separate facilities for white people and black people.

As a passionate civil rights activist, Rosa was determined to change this.

In December 1955, she was travelling home from the department store where she worked as a seamstress.

When a white passenger boarded the bus, Rosa was told to give up her seat.

Her refusal to do so and subsequent arrest sparked a bus boycott in the city of Montgomery, led by Dr Martin Luther King.

Using BBC interviews with Rosa and Dr King, Vicky Farncombe tells how Rosa’s story changed civil rights history and led to the end of segregation.

This programme includes outdated and offensive language.

(Photo: Rosa Parks sitting on a bus. Credit: Getty Images)

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Witness History: Black historyBy BBC World Service

  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6

4.6

87 ratings


More shows like Witness History: Black history

View all
Global News Podcast by BBC World Service

Global News Podcast

7,724 Listeners

More or Less by BBC Radio 4

More or Less

879 Listeners

Newshour by BBC World Service

Newshour

1,037 Listeners

In Our Time by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time

5,541 Listeners

The Documentary Podcast by BBC World Service

The Documentary Podcast

1,814 Listeners

History Extra podcast by Immediate Media

History Extra podcast

3,192 Listeners

Witness History by BBC World Service

Witness History

956 Listeners

6 Minute English by BBC Radio

6 Minute English

1,832 Listeners

Learning English Conversations by BBC Radio

Learning English Conversations

1,060 Listeners

The Infinite Monkey Cage by BBC Radio 4

The Infinite Monkey Cage

2,004 Listeners

The Interview by BBC World Service

The Interview

365 Listeners

Lives Less Ordinary by BBC World Service

Lives Less Ordinary

592 Listeners

Curious Cases by BBC Radio 4

Curious Cases

824 Listeners

The Audio Long Read by The Guardian

The Audio Long Read

850 Listeners

Code Switch by NPR

Code Switch

14,634 Listeners

People Fixing the World by BBC World Service

People Fixing the World

242 Listeners

Teaching Hard History by Learning for Justice

Teaching Hard History

598 Listeners

Today in Focus by The Guardian

Today in Focus

989 Listeners

You're Dead to Me by BBC Radio 4

You're Dead to Me

3,162 Listeners

Americast by BBC News

Americast

763 Listeners

Africa Daily by BBC World Service

Africa Daily

173 Listeners

Short History Of... by NOISER

Short History Of...

2,826 Listeners

Redacted History by Andre White

Redacted History

1,794 Listeners

Legacy by Original Legacy Productions

Legacy

386 Listeners