Rosa Parks Day for the year 2024 is celebrated/observed on Thursday, December 1st. There are until the next observance.

Rosa Parks Day is observed in the United States on December 1 to memorialize the courageous civil rights leader Rosa Parks. Her efforts for the campaign have been very significant, but her most famous event is her refusal to give up her seat on a bus she was on. Her powerful personality inspires everyone, and the day encourages civil rights, equal rights, and opportunities for all communities around the country. Events and activities organized by organizations, government authorities, and ecclesiastical figures honor the day.

📆 When is Rosa Parks Day?

This year, Rosa Parks Day is on December 1st. It is the 1st Thursday in December; in 2023, it is on Friday.

Countdown to Rosa Parks Day

Did you know: Parks was not the first African-American lady arrested for refusing to vacate her seat on a Montgomery bus.

You can also explore all fascinating things you didn’t know about and facts about December 1, 2022.

📜 History of Rosa Parks Day

Parks, a civil rights icon, refused to give up her bus seat in 1955, sparking a 381-day boycott that resulted in transportation desegregation in Montgomery, Alabama. The event occurred on December 1, 1955. Parks was instructed to evacuate her seat on a Montgomery City bus for a white man by the bus driver. Such demands were rather prevalent at the time. Parks refused to give up her place, defying this convention. She was detained and accused of violating racial segregation regulations, sometimes known as “Jim Crow” laws. Parks fought back by appealing his conviction, which led many civil rights supporters, such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., to stop using the public transportation system in Montgomery.

After 381 days of protest, the United States Supreme Court declared in December 1956 that the segregation legislation was unconstitutional. The boycott and its victorious end sparked more civil rights demonstrations throughout the years. Parks became the public face of the fight against inequality. The bus on which Rosa Parks was seated has been repaired and is now on exhibit at the Henry Ford Museum.

☑️ Rosa Parks Day facts

She had encountered the driver previously
Parks had met bus driver James Blake before the event.

She wasn’t sitting in a whites-only section
Parks was placed in an area that was open to African Americans if a seat became available.

Her feet were not tired
Parks refuted the myth that she refused to get up from her seat because she was fatigued after work in her memoirs.

Things to do on Rosa Parks Day

Read about Rosa Parks
Rosa Parks had done a lot of political work before the famous bus incident, and her accomplishments are worth reading about. Rosa Parks: My Story is her autobiography.

Share her story with others
Rosa Parks’ narrative is more inspiring and relevant today than ever before. Talk with your friends and share Rosa Parks quotes, messages, and photographs on social media to keep the memory alive.

Learn about the civil rights movement
There are many unsung heroes in the civil rights struggle who do not receive the respect they deserve. Conduct some studies about the battle and the contributions of many personalities to the fight for rights.

📅 Rosa Parks Day Observances

YEAR DATE DAY
2023 December 1 Friday
2024 December 1 Sunday
2025 December 1 Monday
2026 December 1 Tuesday
2027 December 1 Wednesday

Discover all December holidays, including Special Interest and other Appreciation holidays.

We will continue to update this page with new information and cool facts about Rosa Parks Day. So be sure to check back soon.