Childhood, 1913-1930

Rosa Park’s maiden name is Rosa Louise McCauley. She was born February 4, 1913 in Tuskegee, Alabama.  She was the oldest of her mother three children. Her father, James McCauley, was a carpenter by trade and her mother, Leona Edwards, was a school teacher. Parks did not graduate from high school till she was 20 because she had to care for her sick grandma then later her sick mother. Mrs. McCauley had a feeling when her daughter was born that she was going to be a civil rights leader and change the nation. Mrs. McCauley hated how the world was segregated and she believed in freedom and she wanted Rosa to be treated right. She did not think any person should treat her daughter like she was a bad person. Rosa didn’t attend public school until she was eleven, but her mom home schooled her. When Rosa was eleven she went to Industrial School for Girls in Montgomery. She began laboratory school for her secondary education, but she had to drop out. August 13, 1930 Rosa had to drop out of school to take care of her family and her daddy has also returned home from being away for three years. Her daddy has been gone for years because he builds houses around the Alabama to make money for their family. On December 15, 1929 Rosa wrote in her journal “I have truly fallen in love with Raymond Parks. I think he’s going to propose to me for Christmas!” (Clare)