Rosa Parks' life became a symbol of the struggle for racial equality, particularly through her act of defiance in Montgomery, Alabama, by refusing to give up her bus seat to a white man. This act sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott and energized the civil rights movement. Parks represented the courage needed to confront systemic racism and mobilize community action. Her steadfastness and commitment to justice exemplified the broader struggle against segregation, making her a lasting icon in the fight for civil rights in America.