Gwendolyn Brooks, the first African American to win a Pulitzer Prize award, died in 2000

On December 3, 2000, Gwendolyn Brooks died at the age of 83. Gwendolyn Brooks was a famous poet and author during the 1900s. Brooks used literature to detail Black stories and experiences. In 1950, Gwendolyn Brooks won a Pulitzer Prize for her literacy work “Annie Allen.” She became the first African American to win a Pulitzer Prize.  

Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat in 1955

On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat to a white man while riding on a Montgomery public bus. In 1955, Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her seat. This historical moment sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott, which was organized by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The Montgomery Bus Boycott started on December 5 and lasted for more than a year.