Rosa Parks 1955 Mugshot

They fought the law, but this time the law won. Inspire the rebel in you with this premium, custom-framed print of an iconic celebrity mugshot.

Rosa Parks' arrest report states that she was sitting in the white section of the bus, but in fact she actually had complied with the law when she first entered, sitting down behind the first 10 seats which were permanently reserved for whites. Under Montgomery law, the bus driver had the discretion to move blacks farther back when the white section filled up. Black people paid the same fare as whites, but were often ordered to exit the bus after paying the fare and re-enter through the back door. In standing-room-only conditions, they were not allowed even to stand next to white people.

At rush hour on Dec. 1, 1955, the bus was filling up as Parks and three other African-Americans sat in the first row behind the white section. When a white man entered the bus, the driver James F. Blake ordered Parks and the other three to leave their seats and move back, where they would all have to stand. After hesitating, the others got up but Parks stayed seated and was ultimately arrested.