Attended Mass Meeting at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church

Rosa Parks attended a mass meeting at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, where the community gathered to discuss pressing civil rights issues, including the case of Emmett Till and the murders of activists George W. Lee and Lamar Smith. The meeting featured T. R. M. Howard, a prominent civil rights leader from Mississippi, who informed attendees about the recent acquittal of the two men responsible for Till's murder. This news was particularly disheartening for Parks, as it highlighted the systemic injustices faced by African Americans. The case of Emmett Till, a young black boy brutally murdered in Mississippi, had gained national attention, yet the acquittal of his murderers underscored the pervasive racial violence and lack of accountability in the justice system. Parks, who was actively involved with the Montgomery NAACP, felt a deep sense of anger and sadness, recognizing that the struggles of local activists often went unnoticed compared to high-profile cases like Till's. This meeting served as a catalyst for her subsequent act of defiance on the bus, which would become a pivotal moment in the civil rights movement, inspiring others to take a stand against racial injustice.