Cultural Works

Question 1
The two cultural works I picked from the virtual field trip were “Immortalized in
Medicine and on Canvas” and “Rosa Parks Bus”. I chose this piece of cultural work because I
love the medical field related to studying medicine. I chose the other cultural work because the
Rosa Parks Bus reminds me of Black History Month and how the Civil Rights movement is
significant to African American history (History.com Editors, 2009). The Rosa Parks Bus
reflects its time period because she instigated the Civil Rights Movement by declining to give up
her seat to a white man. This would be meaningful to a group of people because it helped raise
awareness about racism in 1955 to treat blacks with the same level of respect and courtesy.
Question 2
The Immortalized in Medicine and on Canvas cultural work reflects its time period
because it represents the medical testing on African Americans without their consent. It kind of
reminds me of being a donor. I would say Henrietta Lacks are important in history because she
was the first immortal human whose cells grew in culture (Smith, 2018). Additionally, the
Immortalized in Medicine and on Canvas helps us understand Lacks had immortal cells that
helped scientists develop better medical interventions to help save humanity (Smith, 2018). On
the other hand, Rosa Parks Bus played a vital role in the history of Black Americans as she
organized a revolution whose aim was to ensure that black passengers were treated with respect
(History.com Editors, 2009). She advocated for equal treatment of black and white passengers as
she suggested seating in the bus should be based on the timing an individual gets in the bus.
Question 3
What does Rosa Parks Bus tell about the treatment of blacks by the whites?

3
A critical examination of the facts presented by Rosa Parks Bus indicates that the blacks
were humiliated by whites and that their plea for equal treatment was not resolved. The
arrangement of passengers in the bus was biased as the whites sat in the front while blacks were
expected to sit at the back regardless of whether they got into the bus earlier. Also, there was
discrimination in the routes to be used by African Americans, and African American drivers
should only drive on the routes that service blacks (Rosa Parks Bus). Even though Rosa
organized a revolution to air their grievances, their demands were not met. Some of the
individuals were even arrested during the boycott by Montgomery officials.
Question 4
The process of finding an answer to my question entails many steps. First, I will look for
keywords like Rosa Parks Bus and reasons for organizing a revolution. It is vital to acknowledge
that research will begin on websites and platforms on Google that talk about Rosa Parks Bus but
not Wikipedia. For consultation purposes, I seek further clarification with a history professor
who has exemplary knowledge in the subject matter.

4

References

History.com Editors. (2009, November 9). Rosa Parks. History.com.
https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/rosa-parks

Rosa Parks Bus. The Henry Ford. https://www.thehenryford.org/collections-and-research/digital-
collections/artifact/316872/#slide=gs-391149

Smith, R. P. (2018). Women who shaped history: Famed for immortalized cells, Henrietta Lacks
is Immortalized in Portraiture. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-
institution/famed-immortal-cells-henrietta-lacks-immortalized-portraiture-180969085/