Rosa Parks Flat facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Parks, Rosa L. (McCauley) and Raymond, Flat
|
|
 |
|
| Location | 3201-3203 Virginia Park St. Detroit, Michigan |
|---|---|
| Built | c. 1917 |
| Architectural style | Craftsman |
| MPS | The Civil Rights Movement and the African American Experience in 20th Century Detroit MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 100006131 |
| Added to NRHP | February 5, 2021 |
The Rosa L. (McCauley) and Raymond Parks Flat, often called the Rosa Parks Flat, is a two-story brick building in Detroit, Michigan. It is located at 3201-3203 Virginia Park Street. This building is very important because Rosa Parks, a famous leader in the Civil Rights Movement, lived here. She lived in the first-floor apartment with her husband, Raymond, from 1961 to 1988. In 2021, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is a special place that should be protected.
Contents
A Home for Rosa Parks
This building is a type of house called a duplex. This means it has two separate homes, one on top of the other or side-by-side. This duplex was likely built around 1917. The neighborhood changed a lot over the years. After World War II, more and more African Americans moved into the area.
Why Rosa Parks Moved to Detroit
Rosa Parks became famous after the Montgomery Bus Boycott in 1955. This was a protest where people refused to ride buses to fight against unfair rules. Because of her brave actions, Rosa and Raymond Parks faced harassment in Montgomery, Alabama. In 1957, they decided to move to Detroit to find a safer place to live.
For a few years, the couple had a hard time finding steady jobs. They moved several times. By 1960, people started to notice their struggles. In early 1961, things got better. Raymond Parks found a job at a barber shop. Rosa Parks started working at the Stockton Sewing Company. With these jobs, they could finally afford to move into the first floor of this duplex.
Her Important Work in Detroit
Even while living in this flat, Rosa Parks continued her important work for civil rights. In 1965, a new Congressman named John Conyers hired her to work in his office. This allowed her to keep fighting for equality.
Rosa Parks took part in many civil rights events. She helped people in Detroit and all over the country. As she got older, both Rosa and Raymond Parks faced health problems. Raymond passed away in 1977. Rosa continued to work for Congressman Conyers and live in the flat until 1988. She then retired and moved to a different house nearby. Later, in 1994, she moved to the Riverfront Towers.
What the Flat Looks Like
The Rosa Parks Flat is a two-and-a-half-story building. It is built in the American Craftsman style. This style often uses natural materials and simple designs. The parts of the building that face the streets are made of dark red brick. The other sides are made of common orange brick.
The roof is sloped and covered with asphalt shingles. There is a small window area, called a dormer, that sticks out from the front roof. A long front porch runs along the front of the building. Brick columns hold up an open porch on the second story above it. There are two front doors on the porch. Between the doors is a bay window, which is a window that sticks out from the wall. All the windows on the front of the house are double-hung, meaning they slide up and down.
Inside the First Floor Flat
The first-floor apartment is where Rosa and Raymond Parks lived. When you enter, there is a small front area. From here, doors lead to the dining room and the living room. The living room has the special three-sided bay window.
From the dining room, you can go into the front bedroom. A short hallway leads to the kitchen at the back of the house. Another door in the hallway opens to a second bedroom. There is also a bathroom. Most of the apartment looks very similar to how it did when Rosa and Raymond Parks lived there. Only a few doors have been changed.
