Final answer:
Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a Montgomery bus to a White man as a protest against racial segregation, leading to the Montgomery Bus Boycott. This was part of a broader movement to end racial discrimination and Rosa Parks' actions were supported by the NAACP and prompted a nonviolent protest that had significant social and legal outcomes.
Step-by-step explanation:
Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott
On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks made a pivotal decision in the struggle against racial injustice and segregation. She refused to give up her seat to a White man on a Montgomery city bus. The correct answer to the student's question is b) She believed in standing up against racial segregation. This act of defiance was not because she was merely tired or confused; it was a deliberate protest against the Jim Crow laws that enforced racial discrimination. Rosa Parks was an active member of the NAACP and her arrest became a catalyst for the Montgomery Bus Boycott, organized by the Women's Political Council and later led by prominent figures such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Jo Ann Robinson. This boycott was a pivotal event in the Civil Rights Movement, lasting 381 days and leading to a Supreme Court decision that declared segregated buses unconstitutional.
Rosa Parks' act of civil disobedience and the subsequent boycott demonstrated the power of collective action and nonviolent protest in challenging systemic racism. Her courage inspired others to join in the struggle for civil rights, highlighting the strength of community solidarity in the face of oppression. The boycott also served as an example of how economic impact could bring about social change, given that a significant portion of the bus system's revenue came from African American riders.