Jeanne Theoharis: "The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks"
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2013-02-06/jeanne-theoharis-rebellious-life-mrs-rosa-parks
Born in rural Alabama 100 years ago, Rosa Parks grew up picking cotton from sunrise to sunset. Raised by a devoted single mother, she attended segregated schools and faced daily oppression in the Jim Crow south. But contrary to popular myth, Parks had a long history of fighting back, even before she refused to give up her seat on that Montgomery bus: a young Parks once tossed a brick at a white boy who teased her brother. Later, Parks joined her NAACP branch and worked to register black voters and end housing discrimination. And her activism continued even after she left Alabama for Detroit. A new biography on the life of civil rights pioneer Rosa Parks.
Guests
Jeanne Theoharis
professor, political science, Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Related Items
Read An Excerpt
Excerpted from "The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks" by Jeanne Theoharis. Copyright 2013. Excerpted with permission by Beacon Press.
Comments
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Theoharis emphasizes the well documented reserved behavior of Rosa Parks but also describes (in Chapter I, provided) how she could get rough when defending herself and others from bullies. This prompted me to share my differentiation of politeness and civility (as celebrated by Diane Rehm) from the indignation justified by class, race and sex prejudice. Many times when I write on this blog I am angry in reaction to the show and other commentators' remarks. Sometimes my emotions drive me to silliness and teasing. I can't say if this is unacceptable. I only know that politicking, and propaganda, insults to public intelligence and blanket insults occur (on the show and in the comments) and that to allow such slights to go unanswered betrays the ethical subjugation of many Americans, including me, and including Diane Rehm. I was a well-bred girl with every social advantage and repeated training in etiquette. I've functioned as a graduate student in numerous seminars. My point is that media, especially the Internet, in this society is partially a tool of discrimination, mind colonization and cultural hegemony. DRShow needs to accommodate this reality in their comment policy and in their broadcasts. While technological progress is often as costly as it is rewarding, the same is not true of social progress. Egalitarianism and economic democracy, widespread humanitarian empowerment are always an asset of civilization. So please allow me to get a little ugly as I try to combat hierarchy and hatriotic (hate-patriotic) speech. This show needs to advocate more for the good, like Rosa Parks, and be less concerned that oppressive powers remain well-represented in the debate. Considering the polarized conditions of wealth, power and access we struggle under Rosa Parks would expect no less. Don't ask me to relinquish my seat for the comfort of nihilists.
What!
It's wonderful to learn more about Mrs. Rosa Parks, but Ms. Theoharis’ use of the present tense to describe events occurring in the past is painful to hear. I thought only sportscasters spoke that way.
Jeanne T.- Thanks so much for discussing my hero, Myles Horton.
Ken- Like Reagan, Jeanne has a special talent for recreating lapsed events as an exciting contest: racists versus activists. Rosa hit some homeruns and pivoted some triple plays.
If the book is as good as the sportscasting I need to read it right away. "Rosa Parks snags a line drive and flips the ball to Septima Clarke at second, retiring the side..."
"Bull Conner summons a fresh thug from the bullpen trying to save the game in the ninth..."
No offense intended, Pancake, but I think that mixing tenses - and even mixing them in the same sentence! - is bad English.
I having a duel degree in both political science and history (as well as being an African-American myself), in listening to how civil rights activists were carefully trying to craft a wholesome image of the bus boycott and those involved, I can't help but wonder if those on the current political right co-opted this practice of image-shaping and issue-framing of those long-ago civil rights activists to legitimize black (and white) left-of-center politicians and frame their own policies...?
http://beyond-the-political-spectrum.blogspot.com/
Ken 1992- No ill will taken or given, I still assert that this historian is a lively and effective communicator. But you are correct too that she could probably not pass a formal speech course and that she sets a low standard for usage as a professor. I'd rather have her on DRShow than some mealy mouthed lethargic author with perfect grammar and tense. When you get ticked off by slack speech, Ken, just recall the casual lyrics of Cole Porter or Jerome Kern, and understand that tweets and posts are taking us ever closer to grunts and whoops. At least Mrs. Rosa Parks was an adept and careful orator, though she couldn't afford college. It's so luxurious conversing with a gentleman. Thank you.
Such a fabulous interview on a fascinating woman! Who knew there was so much more to Rosa Parks than just the paragraph in our school books. This is a book I'm going to have to read. Thanks!
Such a fabulous interview on a fascinating woman! Who knew there was so much more to Rosa Parks than just the paragraph in our school books. This is a book I'm going to have to read. Thanks!
This show is so informative I don't feel I even need to read the book.
The guest has this annoying habit of inserting "sort of" and "kind of" and "Right?" very often in her answers, which I found very distracting . Maybe she should listen to this recording so she can be inspired to improve this for the sake of her students or future interviews.
Sorry if I'm being negative. I am far, far from perfect myself.
I recently re-discovered the Diane Rehm show and so glad I did. I used to listen every day on my way to work.