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Rosa Parks Beyond the Bus: Life, Lessons, and Leadership
Rosa Parks Beyond the Bus: Life, Lessons, and Leadership is a collection of inspiring and instructive memories compiled from the decade that Mrs. Parks was a guest in author H.H. Leonard’s Washington, DC home. During those years, Mrs. Leonards was able to know the heart, mind, and spirit of the woman who refused to give up her seat on a Montgomery, Alabama city bus on December 1, 1955. The author shares her remembrances, both delightful and somber, in a way that offers readers an intimate and personal glimpse into the personhood of Mrs. Parks. Mrs. Parks is a seminal point in the history of civil, human, and women’s rights. Her story, as told through the eyes of H.H. Leonards, also touches on the journey of African-American women who have somehow managed to survive a system that cared little about the indignities they suffered―from discrimination to sexual assault. While many of her contemporaries attempted to define her as the woman who refused to give up her seat on the bus, she was more than the sum of one pivotal decision. She was decidedly multi-dimensional. Rosa Parks Beyond the Bus is a personal look into Mrs. Parks’ life, her thoughts, her beliefs, and her immense wisdom that moved people― from world leaders Nelson Mandela, Deepak Chopra, and Pope John Paul II to the smallest of children―to seek and revere her presence.
142 pages, Paperback
Published June 18, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
January 2, 2023
Well, I did not see this story coming.
For many people, Rosa Parks disappears from history after her refusal to move from her seat on a bus. She still left an indelible mark on U.S. history, but her story doesn’t stop there. This book fills in a later gap in her life that many people don’t know. Mrs. Parks (and you better call her that) was assaulted later in her life and convalesced at the O Museum in Washington D.C. which was run by the author H.H. Leonards. Leonards writes about the many lessons she learned from Mrs. Parks.
It’s not a history book, as Leonards is more focused on her own recollections and not telling a biographical portrait of Mrs. Parks. For example, there is a misidentification of a medal awarded to Mrs. Parks in the narrative. In a pure history book, it would be a cardinal sin. However, this book is more of a loving remembrance of an old friend. It is very enlightening and gives a completely different view of Mrs. Parks.
For many people, Rosa Parks disappears from history after her refusal to move from her seat on a bus. She still left an indelible mark on U.S. history, but her story doesn’t stop there. This book fills in a later gap in her life that many people don’t know. Mrs. Parks (and you better call her that) was assaulted later in her life and convalesced at the O Museum in Washington D.C. which was run by the author H.H. Leonards. Leonards writes about the many lessons she learned from Mrs. Parks.
It’s not a history book, as Leonards is more focused on her own recollections and not telling a biographical portrait of Mrs. Parks. For example, there is a misidentification of a medal awarded to Mrs. Parks in the narrative. In a pure history book, it would be a cardinal sin. However, this book is more of a loving remembrance of an old friend. It is very enlightening and gives a completely different view of Mrs. Parks.
April 27, 2023
Get on the bus and learn about Rosa Parks and her many impactful contributions to society.
This book offers unique and personal insight into Mrs. Rosa Parks from an active participant and eyewitness to the leader who’s refusal to give up her seat on a Montgomery, AL city bus in 1955 triggered the Civil Rights Movement, started a Women’s Rights Movement that included Black women, and in some ways sparked the genesis of the #MeToo movement when she began documenting African-American rape victims in the South during the 1930’s.
The book focuses on Mrs. Rosa Parks octogenarian years - what she was like, her values, resilience, and traumas - while living at a hidden gem of a place in Washing DC, The O Museum in The Mansion.
There are interesting behind the scenes stories about historical events, such as: MLK’s famous I have a dream speech, how she inspired Nelson Mandela, meeting the Pope, her lawsuit against the band Outkast, what has transpired to her home and belongs since her passing, and the remarkable act of Howard Buffett (son to Warren Buffett) for saving the “Rosa Parks Collection” from being auctioned off piece-by-piece and donating it as a gift to the Library of Congress and paying for its curation; otherwise this important piece of history would be scattered and lost.
There are many quotable insights sprinkled through the book that shed light on Mrs. Rosa Parks values:
- the only way to effect change is to let go of stereotypes and groups and focus on being equal in all respects.
- the true meaning of social justice: repair the world with love. Takun Olam. Love is all that matters.
- “Whatever you do, think positively and be concerned about other people”
- Freedom and justice are things you can work on, “But changing someone’s heart, that’s not up to you; that’s up to them.”
- “Life is not about living in the past; it’s about today and fixing the future.”
Details about Mrs. Rosa Parks and her beliefs:
- She was proud of being White, Black, and Native American.
- real freedom meant getting a great education, allowing you to rise beyond what you were born into.
- her deep passion for children. Children can have adversity in their lives, but it doesn’t have to affect who they want to become.” She wanted children to know that what happens to them as a child is not what’s most important. But rather, it’s how they choose to react to what happened. By telling her story, she felt children could better understand that no one’s life is perfect.”
About the author’s home:
The O Street Mansion and Museum is an amazing and uniquely special place. It is a small, private luxury hotel created among several adjacent Brownstones, where every room has a completely different theme and decor. It is also a club, conference center, and event experience. It’s a “living museum” where most items within its walls are for sale. It’s a place of wonder and creativity with hidden doors and rooms filled with items to spark wonder, awe, and imagination.
This book is the result of advice the author received: “It would help if you told people about the real Mrs. Parks and how you helped her. No one knows this story. Everyone wants to know about her, and nearly nothing of the decade that Mrs. Parks spent here has ever been chronicled. That’s not just how you sustain what you have created, but you help bring light to the real Mrs. Parks, and thus help other people to be more like her.” Mrs. Rosa Parks authored several books while living here, and brought many friends to her home away from her Detroit home. Getting a look inside this time of her life is an important layer to who she was, which is much, much more than what society remembers her by - a defiant moment on a bus.
Reason for my 3.5 rounding-up star rating is due to the free-flow writing. It was a bit redundant, but still an informative and insightful read, written by a woman who truly loved and respected Mrs. Rosa Parks. I enjoyed learning about Mrs. Rosa Parks, getting behind the scenes insights of a remarkable woman, and what she did for civil and women’s rights.
This book offers unique and personal insight into Mrs. Rosa Parks from an active participant and eyewitness to the leader who’s refusal to give up her seat on a Montgomery, AL city bus in 1955 triggered the Civil Rights Movement, started a Women’s Rights Movement that included Black women, and in some ways sparked the genesis of the #MeToo movement when she began documenting African-American rape victims in the South during the 1930’s.
The book focuses on Mrs. Rosa Parks octogenarian years - what she was like, her values, resilience, and traumas - while living at a hidden gem of a place in Washing DC, The O Museum in The Mansion.
There are interesting behind the scenes stories about historical events, such as: MLK’s famous I have a dream speech, how she inspired Nelson Mandela, meeting the Pope, her lawsuit against the band Outkast, what has transpired to her home and belongs since her passing, and the remarkable act of Howard Buffett (son to Warren Buffett) for saving the “Rosa Parks Collection” from being auctioned off piece-by-piece and donating it as a gift to the Library of Congress and paying for its curation; otherwise this important piece of history would be scattered and lost.
There are many quotable insights sprinkled through the book that shed light on Mrs. Rosa Parks values:
- the only way to effect change is to let go of stereotypes and groups and focus on being equal in all respects.
- the true meaning of social justice: repair the world with love. Takun Olam. Love is all that matters.
- “Whatever you do, think positively and be concerned about other people”
- Freedom and justice are things you can work on, “But changing someone’s heart, that’s not up to you; that’s up to them.”
- “Life is not about living in the past; it’s about today and fixing the future.”
Details about Mrs. Rosa Parks and her beliefs:
- She was proud of being White, Black, and Native American.
- real freedom meant getting a great education, allowing you to rise beyond what you were born into.
- her deep passion for children. Children can have adversity in their lives, but it doesn’t have to affect who they want to become.” She wanted children to know that what happens to them as a child is not what’s most important. But rather, it’s how they choose to react to what happened. By telling her story, she felt children could better understand that no one’s life is perfect.”
About the author’s home:
The O Street Mansion and Museum is an amazing and uniquely special place. It is a small, private luxury hotel created among several adjacent Brownstones, where every room has a completely different theme and decor. It is also a club, conference center, and event experience. It’s a “living museum” where most items within its walls are for sale. It’s a place of wonder and creativity with hidden doors and rooms filled with items to spark wonder, awe, and imagination.
This book is the result of advice the author received: “It would help if you told people about the real Mrs. Parks and how you helped her. No one knows this story. Everyone wants to know about her, and nearly nothing of the decade that Mrs. Parks spent here has ever been chronicled. That’s not just how you sustain what you have created, but you help bring light to the real Mrs. Parks, and thus help other people to be more like her.” Mrs. Rosa Parks authored several books while living here, and brought many friends to her home away from her Detroit home. Getting a look inside this time of her life is an important layer to who she was, which is much, much more than what society remembers her by - a defiant moment on a bus.
Reason for my 3.5 rounding-up star rating is due to the free-flow writing. It was a bit redundant, but still an informative and insightful read, written by a woman who truly loved and respected Mrs. Rosa Parks. I enjoyed learning about Mrs. Rosa Parks, getting behind the scenes insights of a remarkable woman, and what she did for civil and women’s rights.
April 18, 2023
H.H. Leonards in her most recent book details her and Mrs. Rosa Park's life along with her experiences with Mrs. Parks. The book begins by introducing the moment that she received a phone call that preceded what would eventually turn out to be a memorable ten years with Mrs. Parks at Leonards’ O Museum and Mansion and continues from there. The title of the book is significant as many only know of Mrs. Parks from her feat of bravery by not moving her seat on a bus for a white man, while Leonards chronicles parts of Parks’s life from what she had learned from the civil rights activist over the course of a decade. I thought the book to be well-written and it details a well-thought-out and engaging recollection of H.H. Leonards’ time spent with Mrs. Rosa Parks and Parks’s life.
Reading the book, I was greatly moved by some of the stories that Leonards mentions. One of them was the part when Mrs. Parks was attacked in her Detroit home. After reading that section I took a moment to think about some of the events and my life and how lucky I am. Leonards shares many of her notable experiences with the renowned civil and women’s rights activist and then intertwines her story with that of Mrs. Parks. I began reading the book with the preconceived notion that Leonards may have been somewhat exaggerating her experiences and what she had learned from Mrs. Parks, but after reading my perspective was changed. That being, I learned so much about the two and how strong and personal of a relationship the two had.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the book and welcome all and everyone to take some time to read it along with taking the time to talk and connect with others around you. Every connection matters, and as H.H. Leonards details through her time with Mrs. Rosa Parks people you don’t know can have a large impact on your life.
Reading the book, I was greatly moved by some of the stories that Leonards mentions. One of them was the part when Mrs. Parks was attacked in her Detroit home. After reading that section I took a moment to think about some of the events and my life and how lucky I am. Leonards shares many of her notable experiences with the renowned civil and women’s rights activist and then intertwines her story with that of Mrs. Parks. I began reading the book with the preconceived notion that Leonards may have been somewhat exaggerating her experiences and what she had learned from Mrs. Parks, but after reading my perspective was changed. That being, I learned so much about the two and how strong and personal of a relationship the two had.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the book and welcome all and everyone to take some time to read it along with taking the time to talk and connect with others around you. Every connection matters, and as H.H. Leonards details through her time with Mrs. Rosa Parks people you don’t know can have a large impact on your life.
November 3, 2022
Dear Reverend H:
I am rarely one to be lost for all the right words, however, I can't do justice to how your book, Rosa Parks Beyond the Bus, has positively impacted me. I read every word and will probably read it again soon.
You are a truly gifted and talented writer. You are also such an incredibly amazing and wonderful person. The emotional connections and passions came through so vividly. Your book was so educational, enlightening and richly insightful. It would not be an understatement to say it was truly transformational.
When reading your book I felt I was getting the benefit of two amazing biographies at once. The philosophical, spiritual and human emotional mosaic of your lives apart and together was magical. I felt like I was benefiting from great wisdom and mentoring guidance of how to be the best version of one's self.
Our Rotary Club motto is "Service Above Self" and you and Rosa both exemplify this in so many ways. My simplest philosophy in two words is "Be Kind." You and Rosa are the embodiment of that. Additionally, making a positive difference in the lives we touch is the most important thing and you and Rosa have made that your great legacies.
Sincerely, Theodore A. “Ted” Miller
I am rarely one to be lost for all the right words, however, I can't do justice to how your book, Rosa Parks Beyond the Bus, has positively impacted me. I read every word and will probably read it again soon.
You are a truly gifted and talented writer. You are also such an incredibly amazing and wonderful person. The emotional connections and passions came through so vividly. Your book was so educational, enlightening and richly insightful. It would not be an understatement to say it was truly transformational.
When reading your book I felt I was getting the benefit of two amazing biographies at once. The philosophical, spiritual and human emotional mosaic of your lives apart and together was magical. I felt like I was benefiting from great wisdom and mentoring guidance of how to be the best version of one's self.
Our Rotary Club motto is "Service Above Self" and you and Rosa both exemplify this in so many ways. My simplest philosophy in two words is "Be Kind." You and Rosa are the embodiment of that. Additionally, making a positive difference in the lives we touch is the most important thing and you and Rosa have made that your great legacies.
Sincerely, Theodore A. “Ted” Miller
July 20, 2022
"Beyond the Bus" is a spiritually transformative mix of previously unknown stories, anecdotes, and life lessons that leave the reader with a new, more profound understanding of Mrs. Rosa Parks and the impact she made with her life and legacy. Written in a casual, almost flowing style, "Beyond the Bus" reads as if you're having a personal, engaging conversation with the author at the Mansion - putting you in her place as she grows in her friendship with Mrs. Rosa Parks. By the end, you too will understand the importance of being, as Mrs. Rosa Parks put it, "...a messenger for what is right."
Too often the impact of Mrs. Rosa Parks is constrained to the year of the Montgomery Bus Boycott, but "Beyond the Bus" gives us glimpses into the incredible life she lived before and after it. From the traumatic assault in her Detroit home in 1994 to her passing in 2005, Mrs. Rosa Parks found comfort, refuge, and renewed purpose at the Mansion on O Street in Washington, D.C. This deeply personal memoir by H. H. Leonards - the Mansion's founder - sheds new light on this little-studied period of Mrs. Rosa Parks' life and the meaningful friendship these two extraordinary women developed.
Too often the impact of Mrs. Rosa Parks is constrained to the year of the Montgomery Bus Boycott, but "Beyond the Bus" gives us glimpses into the incredible life she lived before and after it. From the traumatic assault in her Detroit home in 1994 to her passing in 2005, Mrs. Rosa Parks found comfort, refuge, and renewed purpose at the Mansion on O Street in Washington, D.C. This deeply personal memoir by H. H. Leonards - the Mansion's founder - sheds new light on this little-studied period of Mrs. Rosa Parks' life and the meaningful friendship these two extraordinary women developed.
September 1, 2022
“Beyond the Bus” by HH Leonards is a beautiful book that gives you a glimpse into the life of Rosa Parks. There were several facts about Mrs. Parks that I was unaware of. I didn’t realize that she had testified against the confirmation of Clarence Thomas for the United States Supreme Court nor that she had followed the teachings of Malcolm X. The book is aptly titled “Beyond the Bus” because there are so many little gems in the book that give insight into the strong character and heart of Mrs. Parks. The book is written in an informal and engaging style which allows the reader to savor so many interesting and courageous aspects of Mrs Parks’ character.
Another thing that fascinated me about the book was
how the relationship between Mrs. Parks and H developed into such a deep friendship. Throughout the book we also get hints about H’s amazing life and how she was able to forge such a close relationship with Mrs. Parks.
H mentions in the book that she called a CIA hacker for information. I also love the yellow school bus that H drove.
H says that she counts on miracles. Her book, “Beyond the Bus” is an account of miracles.
Another thing that fascinated me about the book was
how the relationship between Mrs. Parks and H developed into such a deep friendship. Throughout the book we also get hints about H’s amazing life and how she was able to forge such a close relationship with Mrs. Parks.
H mentions in the book that she called a CIA hacker for information. I also love the yellow school bus that H drove.
H says that she counts on miracles. Her book, “Beyond the Bus” is an account of miracles.
August 23, 2022
Beyond the Bus" Is beautifully inspiring.
Mrs.Rosa Parks leads with love and makes an impact in the world.
The author H.H. Leonards who shares in such an authentic way. How they met, and became friends. It seems they are more like family. You can feel the love and admiration they had for each other come off the pages as you read. I felt like I was right there at the O Mansion sitting at the edge of my seat as they spoke. Such a journey with so much wisdom, bravery, and integrity.
It is a must read for those who want to lead and do what is right even when others are not.
~ Maria Mastrodicasa
Mrs.Rosa Parks leads with love and makes an impact in the world.
The author H.H. Leonards who shares in such an authentic way. How they met, and became friends. It seems they are more like family. You can feel the love and admiration they had for each other come off the pages as you read. I felt like I was right there at the O Mansion sitting at the edge of my seat as they spoke. Such a journey with so much wisdom, bravery, and integrity.
It is a must read for those who want to lead and do what is right even when others are not.
~ Maria Mastrodicasa
Want to read
February 26, 2023Just heard interview with author. Thought I had already knew who Ms. Parks was. Nope. Not even close, just from the interview alone - she deserves to be more of a household name and understood better.
As a side note am kind of annoyed how often in history amazing women prop up men to get bid things done and then are left behind and in the shadows and then told it is for their own safety. Ugh!
As a side note am kind of annoyed how often in history amazing women prop up men to get bid things done and then are left behind and in the shadows and then told it is for their own safety. Ugh!
June 23, 2022
I liked that this book offered insight into Rosa Parks' life beyond what the bus incident for which she is famously known. The author spent a lot of time with Mrs. Parks in her old age and got to know her well. While I enjoyed all the details, they did get a bit repetitive at times. The writing was certainly heartfelt, though.
I received a copy of this book from Books Forward.
I received a copy of this book from Books Forward.
November 25, 2023
Wonderful book about an incredible woman, the 'Mother of the Civil Rights Movement'
July 20, 2022
“Beyond the Bus” is such an insightful and heartwarming read. Mrs. Rosa Parks accomplished many remarkable, yet not well-known, things in the later part of her life. I believe these events could have only been captured properly through the eyes of someone who loved her as dearly as H. H. Leonards did. With her free-flowing, anecdotal writing style, Leonards provides important insight into Mrs. Parks’ outlook on life. This book straddles the line between being a biography and a memoir, making it so that the reader is not just inundated with historical facts. Instead, it feels as if you are getting to know Mrs. Parks yourself.
I appreciate the faith-based view through which the author and Mrs. Parks approached their life lessons and social justice work. It’s written in such a way that it feels authentic to these two women, while still remaining relevant to the social justice efforts of today’s generation of activists. In particular, Leonards reflects on the #MeToo Movement and what Mrs. Parks might have thought about it. The memoir also goes into the author’s experiences with the aftermath of Mrs. Parks’ death, and how she worked to preserve her legacy. The memoir ends with an honorific sense of respect for Mrs. Parks and an increased sense of urgency to carry on her life’s work.
I appreciate the faith-based view through which the author and Mrs. Parks approached their life lessons and social justice work. It’s written in such a way that it feels authentic to these two women, while still remaining relevant to the social justice efforts of today’s generation of activists. In particular, Leonards reflects on the #MeToo Movement and what Mrs. Parks might have thought about it. The memoir also goes into the author’s experiences with the aftermath of Mrs. Parks’ death, and how she worked to preserve her legacy. The memoir ends with an honorific sense of respect for Mrs. Parks and an increased sense of urgency to carry on her life’s work.
August 22, 2022
This Book Moved Me Deeply
As a person who has known and loved the O Museum in the Mansion for many years, I was already quite aware of Mrs. Rosa Parks’ time at the Mansion. I knew that the author and Mrs. Parks had been dear friends. I had heard stories about their friendship.
Rosa Parks Beyond The Bus moved me deeply. I read it in two intense sittings. It brought to life the magic that the two women shared together. I was touched and wiped my eyes more than once as the beautiful revelations leapt from the pages. If there is such a thing as a “fairy tale friendship,” here is the evidence.
That is why this is not a history book or even a biography, but is the deeply personal story about what it was like to be “daily, best friends” with such a famous but such a quiet, shy, self-effacing American hero. The stories, many of them probably never told before, document the soul and the heart of one of this country’s great Americans. This book will become a critical part of the fullest story of Mrs. Rosa Parks and her legacy.
(The Reviewer – Alvin Stenzel now lives in The Villages in Florida and is the author of The Crystal Pond, a novel that highlights the special imagination that exists for women.)
As a person who has known and loved the O Museum in the Mansion for many years, I was already quite aware of Mrs. Rosa Parks’ time at the Mansion. I knew that the author and Mrs. Parks had been dear friends. I had heard stories about their friendship.
Rosa Parks Beyond The Bus moved me deeply. I read it in two intense sittings. It brought to life the magic that the two women shared together. I was touched and wiped my eyes more than once as the beautiful revelations leapt from the pages. If there is such a thing as a “fairy tale friendship,” here is the evidence.
That is why this is not a history book or even a biography, but is the deeply personal story about what it was like to be “daily, best friends” with such a famous but such a quiet, shy, self-effacing American hero. The stories, many of them probably never told before, document the soul and the heart of one of this country’s great Americans. This book will become a critical part of the fullest story of Mrs. Rosa Parks and her legacy.
(The Reviewer – Alvin Stenzel now lives in The Villages in Florida and is the author of The Crystal Pond, a novel that highlights the special imagination that exists for women.)
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews