Mrs Parks did a variety of work, usually connected with sewing. She did domestic work also in people's homes. But she she was an insurance salesperson. She did sewing privately and commercially. So she was always very, very busy. She was very active in her church. She was very active in the NAACP. So she was a very, very busy lady. And because of her demeanour, and her sweet spirit, as well as her ability to follow through, in a very professional and succinct way, she was called on often. Therefore, on December 1, when she was arrested, people said "They got the wrong one now" that "They have messed with the wrong one now". Because everyone knew of her stellar reputation.

When Mrs. Parks was arrested, she was 43 years old and she had a lot of experience in life, and experience in segregation. There were many painful experiences. She said that oftentimes when she would ride the bus, that she would think of Emmett Till. That terrible atrocity had happened to him that same year, where he was killed in Money, Mississippi. She thought of her brother and other world war two veterans that had fought for the United States overseas, and then come back to this country, to the United States of America, to be segregated again, to be humiliated, and to be called derogatory names. It was a very, very trying time.