Rosa Parks was an American civil rights activist known for refusing to give up her seat to a white passenger on a segregated bus in Montgomery, Alabama in 1955. This act of defiance led to Parks working with Martin Luther King Jr. to challenge unfair segregation laws through peaceful protests and helped launch the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Parks spent her life fighting for civil rights and equality, setting an example of courage and leadership that continues to inspire people worldwide in pursuing justice and social change.