Rosa Parks: A Life in American History explores the life of this important civil rights activist in the context of the cultural and social history of her time. The book focuses heavily on the influence of her mother and grandparents in her civil rights activism and emphasizes the fact that Rosa Parks was always active and engaged in the struggle for civil rights. Analyses of speeches she delivered provide a picture that broadens her influence and importance far beyond the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

Chapters are organized chronologically, beginning with Rosa Parks' family history and ending with her death and legacy, and a culminating chapter explores her extensive impact on American history. The work also includes a timeline of key events in her life and a bibliography to aid additional research. Readers will benefit from a holistic approach that explores Parks' life well beyond her refusal to give up her seat on the Montgomery bus line. Of note, this book connects Parks' lifelong activism to the spirit of justice and resistance she learned at a young age.