My Feet Didn't Hurt I Just Had Enough...Rosa Parks Mother of the Civil Rights Movement

Ms. McCall-Haygan holds hands with Ms. Rosa Louise Parks during the celebration at Howard University of the 40th anniversary of Ms. Parks' refusal to give up her bus seat to a white male passenger on December 1, 1955, which sparked a civil rights movement that changed the course of American history

Many have asked me how I became the way I am? I often wondered just what they were talking about? Then it dawned on me "Radical RevLa" is slightly different! Really I had no idea....no really I didn't have a clue. You see everyone in my family has been taught to achieve greatness. No matter what that greatness is. It didn't mean you had to be a superstar but what you did have to do is give back to others.

As we look at this wonderful year of the American black woman two very important women come to my mind. One everyone knows. The late and great Ms. Rosa Parks our mother of the civil rights movement. (I will talk about her later). The other great lady is my very own mother Ms. Ella McCall-Haygan. She is the lady in the above picture holding hands with Ms. Parks and singing.

My dear Sweet Mom has dedicated her life to helping  those who cannot help themselves. Her story is amazing and as her daughter many times as I read  her different interviews I have to wonder just who this woman is. She is my mom the mother of eight wonderful children. She is CEO of her own non-profit organization for children known as "From streets to skills" where she teaches, mentors, encourages, and provide means for children that are homeless to learn job skills. She went from a high school drop out to receiving her master's degree from Catholic university. She worked in the world's worst areas in our beloved inner city of Washington DC. She received the name "The hood social worker".

Many of the children in her program have gone on to college or started their own businesses. She is on call to the so call "low lifes" of our society 24 hours a day. She was blessed with a focused mind and a loving heart. She was Rosa Parks go to person whenever she was in our hometown and now she works with Ms. Parks foundation and is currently writing their story as they worked together . So this year I honor her as one of my outstanding Black American Woman.

Now my next wonderful black lady is Ms. Rosa Parks. There is nothing that I can say they we don't already know except the fact that what has been said about that day on the bus has been told wrong. According to what Ms. Parks said to my mother was that she was sitting in the seat that she was suppose to be sitting at. Not in the front of the bus as we have been led to believe but in the area assigned to us to sit. She was thinking about a rally that she was putting together for that Saturday for the children. The children that she would take to the library and would not be allowed to come in.

This was on her mind. This was what made her upset with everything. This is what gave her this righteous anger. So when she was told to get up and give the white man her seat she was not having it. She was not going to give her assigned seat to someone that could stand. Her feet did not hurt but she was tired. She was tired of being treated this way. She was tired that the children could not go to a library where they could learn. She was tired of America treating her people this way.

She was not a great civil rights leader. She was not head of the NAACP. She was just a woman who loved children and wanted them to learn and become better citizens. So this day she just did not get up. She was a normal woman doing what normal women do she was taking care of the children. She told my mother that it only takes one person to do just one thing that will help many. By not giving up that bus seat you and I that are of African-American roots can live in peace. We can vote, go to college and have our own businesses.

So today I look at two woman from two different periods of time. Joined together with the same basic interest. That being helping children who can't help themselves and spreading the love of God to all in their efforts to give back. I am so proud of the black ladies in my life. I am so proud to be able to honor them this year. And I might just continue to honor them from this day forward. I will never stop being amazed at what people can do when they are focused and determined.

Ms. Parks by not giving up that seat started a national movement and basically created the role of Dr. Martin Luther King. My Mom Ella McCall-Hagan has place her stamp on many young children who would have ended up in gangs or in jail. She has taught them skills so that they would be able to function in today's society. Who knows who she has help developed into the next superstar.

So for those who wonder who Radical RevLa is I just say look at the stock I have come from. Look at those who shaped me and look at those who have shaped the ones who placed their stamp on me. I don't know where I'm going but I know that God has a great deal of work left for me to do. I'm ready to do my assignment and the good part is I get to do it my way. It may not be like everyone else but for me it's my own stamp on the world.

My prayer is that we continue to look at the average black woman and give her praise. She has done a lot in this world and I want her to be taken off the bottom and placed at the top of the human chain where she belongs. Its been proven that she is the mother of the human race. Like it or not it has been proven.

I suggest that we go back and read about the other parts of Ms. Rosa Parks life. And I ask that you go to
http://www.destiny-child.org
they have honored my Mother
Ms. Ella McCall-Haygan as their July's community activist of the month. You would be so informed about life in Washington DC and her life with Rosa Parks.

So since I might have my very own mother reading this I will end in a nice way.
To black women everywhere hold your heads up high and go for it. Live your life the way God has shown you. Never let anyone make you feel that you don't count. It only takes one person doing one thing to start a movement that will benefit a million.

See I did it I ended in a good way. But will it last you ask?
Nah... I don't think so....who am I kidding of course I will be my same old radical way.
So what can I say....Gotta love me
no really you do have to love me!!!

       

Guest Blogger This Week At "While The Dervish Dances"

Is that You God?

From: the pen of Rev. LaWaughn Rouse at Radical RevLa

To: God Almighty Power@heavenmyhome.org
Hey God,
It’s me, yeah me, Radical RevLa. Thought I’d send you an email because let’s face it, this is the fastest way. Thank you for giving me the time I needed to make sense of our last conversation. I understood what you were trying to tell me but didn’t want to accept it. The bird in the nest thing is hard for me to accept but the concept was exactly what was needed at the time. Likewise the caterpillar and the cocoon. The only way to evolve – and yes, really, I do get it! – is for a mother to stop mothering, or rather, to mother in a different way. But oh it is so hard to do. See, my daughter is my princess, my baby girl, the last child I will ever have. And she needs me.......to read entire blog  http://www.cathykozak.com/

This week I have the honor to be one of the guest bloggers at "while the dervish dances" a blog by Cathy Kozak. She is a great author and has a wonderful blog. She also has a book coming out soon. Please continue reading my post "Letters From The Edge" and enjoy her blog posts as well. She can also be found at She Writes.