Rosa Parks is a famous civil rights activist known for her pivotal role in the fight against racial segregation in the United States during the 1950s and 1960s. She gained national attention on December 1, 1955, when she refused to give up her bus seat to a white passenger in Montgomery, Alabama. This act of defiance became an iconic moment in the civil rights movement, triggering the Montgomery Bus Boycott led by Martin Luther King Jr. Parks' bravery and commitment to social justice inspired countless others to join the struggle for equality and helped pave the way for transformative civil rights legislation.