Which real-life example illustrates minority influence and demonstrates commitment?

Which real-life example illustrates minority influence and demonstrates commitment?

• A. Rosa Parks refused to give up her bus seat
• B. The March on Washington
• C. The Civil War
• D. Brown v. Board of Education decision

Answer: (A)

Minority influence happens when a smaller group or an individual persuasively challenges the status quo by staying consistent and willing to incur costs, which can cause the majority to rethink its views. Rosa Parks’ refusal to give up her seat is the clearest example because she, as a member of a minority group, publicly took a costly stand and faced arrest. That act sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott and helped ignite broader civil rights change, showing how a committed, principled action by one person can draw attention, mobilize others, and shift social norms over time. The other options don’t fit as well. The March on Washington involved a broad coalition and large-scale action, emphasizing collective effort rather than a single minority member influencing the majority through sustained commitment. The Civil War was a major conflict, not a case of social influence through commitment. Brown v. Board of Education was a legal decision, driven by court action rather than a minority persuading the majority through ongoing social pressure.

Minority influence happens when a smaller group or an individual persuasively challenges the status quo by staying consistent and willing to incur costs, which can cause the majority to rethink its views. Rosa Parks’ refusal to give up her seat is the clearest example because she, as a member of a minority group, publicly took a costly stand and faced arrest. That act sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott and helped ignite broader civil rights change, showing how a committed, principled action by one person can draw attention, mobilize others, and shift social norms over time.

The other options don’t fit as well. The March on Washington involved a broad coalition and large-scale action, emphasizing collective effort rather than a single minority member influencing the majority through sustained commitment. The Civil War was a major conflict, not a case of social influence through commitment. Brown v. Board of Education was a legal decision, driven by court action rather than a minority persuading the majority through ongoing social pressure.