plutus1947 It is sometimes amazing how the tiniest act of defiance can literally move mountains.SPOILER BEGINS This is the true story of Rosa Parks a young black woman who refused to move from a seat designated 'whites' only on a public transport bus in Montgomery, Alabama.The bus service in Alabama had made a rule that black people who rode on their transport were only allowed to sit in seats designated 'black' only, normally at the rear of the bus.Rosa Parks got on one of these buses and found there was nowhere to sit in the black area so she decided to sit in a seat which were for use of whites only.When the driver ordered her to get up she refused and was subsequently arrested, charged and fined $14.00.She immediately became a heroine to the black people in Alabama, and eventually the world. This was the catalyst which spurred Martin Luther King to start The Civil Rights Movement, which was ultimately to cost him his life.SPOILER ENDS The wonderful Angela Bassett played the role of Rosa Parks. This was an act of pure genius on the part of the casting agents because I cannot believe that any other actress could have played the part of Rosa Parks better.Angela was also one of the Executive Producers.The indomitable Cicely Tyson played Leona Edwards McCauley, Rosa's mother and as expected played her part to perfection.The remaining cast were flawless in their acting and the direction was perfect.I have no hesitation in giving this movie 10 stars and even though this movie was made 14 years ago I believe it is as relevant now as it was then.SOME FACTS ABOUT ROSA PARKS Her act of defiance resulted in the black community in Montgomery boycotting the buses for a year and none used them. They preferred to walk, no matter how far they had to go or what the weather was. This resulted in the owners of the buses rescinding their segregation due to the amount of revenue they were losing.Her defiant act also spurred Martin Luther King into forming the Civil Rights Movement.In 1999 Rosa was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal, the USA's highest honour. She was Inducted into the International Civil Rights Walk of Fame in Atlanta, Georgia in 2004.Had two schools named after her.Rosa died at age 92 of natural causes although she did suffer from dementia in later life and was interred at Woodlawn Cemetery, Detroit, Michigan.In February 2013 a no denominated (forever) stamp was issued valued on issue at 46c, This was issued to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Rosa's birth.

Hunky Stud I didn't plan to write a comment at first, but when I saw one big mistake the director did, I was compelled to write one as soon as I finished watching. I am surprised that no one at that time said anything to the director. It was so obvious.This scene was about Rosa Parks who had to walk several miles in the rain at night, after the bus driver threw her out of the bus. She walked into her home without the wet umbrella. She was wearing some fancy looking dry coat, and her hat looks dry. Her shoes look shiny with no water drop or mud on them. Her hair looked fine and dry. When she took off her coat, her clothes also looked dry. Most importantly, after she took off her "wet" coat, her husband just hung it on the coat hanger with all the other dry coats. There was no water drops on the floor, either.The casting director did a good job by picking those few good white actors. I especially like the one who worked at the voter registration office, she really acted well, had that look. I also liked the one who worked at the white only library. However, the director failed to tell us what happened eventually when Rosa parks took a bunch of children to a while only library. We only saw them trying to check out books, but what happened afterward? Were they allowed to check out the books or not? This is a good real life story. If it was done well, it could have made the audiences to cry, but it failed to do so. The first half of the movie was well directed. After she refused to give up her seat on the bus, the story failed to focus the whole movement. It spent most time on her personal life. It should have showed us how her action led to the whole civil rights movement, what happened at the court, what other blacks did other than refusing to ride the bus. And what happened to NAACP, those people just seemed to disappear from her life entirely.

dataconflossmoor This comment is to commemorate the historic event fifty years ago whereby Rosa Parks refused to relinquish her seat on the bus in the devastatingly volatile southern state of Alabama. Her actions accelerated the snail's pace progress of civil rights tremendously!!..It is alarming to realize that not all that long ago, we as a nation were hopelessly mired in an abyss of racial hatred so deep, that Rosa Parks set a nationwide precedent, by simply refusing to acquiesce to the premise of racial inequality!!...It is abhorrent and reprehensible to think!! that Rosa Parks was punished, and subject to criminal repercussions, just because she was told that as an individual, she was inferior, and she did not concur!!...Rosa Parks said NO!! to racial hatred!!!...Rosa Parks said NO!! to baseless presumptions!!! and Rosa Parks became nauseated to the breaking point to say ENOUGH!! when she was denied a right that is ascertained by the constitution, a right that is pronounced by the scripture, and a right that is decreed by God...The right of equality!!!In the past fifty years , we have made great strides in civil liberties and rights accorded us...However, the single biggest killer wolf in sheep's clothing, and the most deadly form of hatred, is when we say that hatred no longer exists!!! Many atrocities stemming from hatred which have been vitiated in the last fifty years are a form of self congratulatory accomplishment, but by no means, any indication of complete progress..Hatred is an insidious assassin which can strike without notice, if we pretend that racial and social hatred no longer exist, then we are capitulating to a lethal ignorance which will inevitably set us back to the dreadful days of repugnant oppression!! This incident was socially appalling!! I am an individual who detests even a modicum of social inequity, this qualifies me to uphold what I believe in on this issue, and so many other issues pertinent to egalitarianism as well!!... When Rosa Parks refused to give her seat up some fifty years ago, she was not imbued by some lofty idealism, rather, she enforced her rudimentary insight to justifiably object to what she felt was a horrible injustice!! Rosa Parks serves as a shining inspiration to many Americans, and she has instilled in them, the indispensable spirituality, to covet the privilege of freedom, and to cherish the right of equality!!!

z_babygurl18 The choir in the movie sounded very good. They should get credit for all the hard work that they put into the soundtrack of the film. They traveled for hours just to make it to the set. they set and waited for long hours, voices drained, and they still managed to sound incredible. they were talked about and criticized, but they overcame all the negative comments and still did their thing. they should at least appear on the credits. they stayed up all night on a school night just to record the soundtrack. that's dedication. the central high school show choir from Tuscaloosa, Alabama should get recognition for their incredible work and their outstanding voices. Mrs. Jocqualine Richardson, the director, does a wonderful job with these young kids.