With the festive period, it is easy to overlook the historical significance of December. However, the pertinence of this month should not be forgotten. For example, this month marks the discovery of Haiti by Christopher Columbus, the assassination of John Lennon, and the independence of Iceland granted by the Danish Parliament. This article explores two very different events that took place in December, and whose impact is still very much evident today.
1st December 1955: A deviation of ‘standing up for what you believe in.’ Rosa Parks was commuting from work in Montgomery Alabama and crucially refused to surrender her seat to a white passenger. From institutionalised discrimination through enforced segregation, to individual acts of hostility and aggression, 1950s America was a society in which racism was deeply entrenched. Indeed, African Americans were regarded as second-class citizens. It is against this backdrop that Rosa Parks’ decision was so momentous.
Her resistance sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott, a year-long campaign led my Martin Luther King Jr. to abolish segregation on public transport. During this time, a carpool system was established for those who lived longer distances from their workplace. The boycott proved extremely effective, and received media attention nationwide. Given that African Americans represented over 70% of the passengers on Montgomery busses, the absence of their bus fares had a severe financial impact on revenue. As a result, the segregation on Montgomery buses was ended, marking a definitive achievement for the American Civil Rights Movement. Rosa Parks was arrested and fined for refusing to surrender her seat, and later lost her job due to her participation in the boycott. Nevertheless, she is now remembered as a figurehead of the Civil Rights Movement.
Unknown at the time, the 21st December 1879 was a pivotal moment in Russian, and global, history with the Birth of Josef Stalin. Born into severe poverty and bullied by classmates, the young Joseph Stalin seemed an unlikely leader of what would become the second most powerful country in the world. Stalin’s decisive role in the defeat of Nazi Germany cannot be understated. According to one historian, Stalin’s Russia served as ‘the main engine of Nazism’s destruction.’ Moreover, thanks to Stalin’s economic policies, the Soviet Union witnessed a profound economic and industrial transformation, becoming the second-largest producer of steel.
Nonetheless, as leader of the Soviet Union from 1929 to 1953, Stalin’s tyrannical regime was one of terror. It has been estimated that he is responsible for the deaths of 20 million people. For example, perceived enemies of the state were sent to forced labour camps known as gulags. These entailed torturous conditions such as sub-zero temperatures and limited food rations. Stalin’s collectivisation of agriculture was also the catalyst for famines, which killed over 12 million people during this period. The actions of Stalin are indelibly marked into the political, economic and cultural landscape of Russia.
Overall, this month reminds us of the ways in which individuals have had a profound impact in both national and global history.