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Most obituaries of Rosa Parks focus on the story we all know: how the humble seamstress changed history by refusing to give up her seat on the bus to a white man. But while that account is accurate, it's only part of her story. In this interview we originally aired in 2005, Bob talks with Duke historian Tim Tyson about the construction of an American hero.
Thanks for another informative program. The idea that "reported" events can become mythology is much more common and pervasive than the examples you used. Didn't Borges say annything translated into language becomes a story? As you reported, it's hard to change erroneous perceptions, and upon retelling stories become myth. You might examine your own perceptions about race. Please do some research before continuing to use the term race as if it really exists. It is a de facto reality with horrible consequences but erroneous. Is it not a hoax? Can you document the category of race when applied to the human species as accurate scientifically?
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