Ever since I was a little girl, I have always been interested in history and learning about the twists and turns our nation took over the years. Living just minutes away from one of the nation’s most incredible museums, the Henry Ford Museum, there were many opportunities to learn about our country’s past. One of my favorite exhibits of the museum has always been the Rosa Parks bus. I loved, and still love, sitting in the actual seat where Rosa Parks courageously refused to give up her seat to a white man. Little did I know, however, that my great-great-great uncle, Goodwyn Ruppenthal, was actually the police chief that decided to have Rosa Parks arrested on December 1, 1955.
Goodwyn was born in Montgomery, Alabama on May 16, 1908 to Lamar and Mary Ruppenthal. Growing up with many siblings, eight brothers and sisters to be exact, Goodwyn had always been a family man. He spent many of his teenage years working with his father at a local café in Montgomery. He then joined the fire department, only to realize that his calling was to be a police officer. Upon recognizing this, Goodwyn became a patrolman in 1931. Then, in 1933, he married the love of his life, Ethel Smith. Together, they had two sons, Buddy and Allen Ruppenthal.
Twenty years after becoming a police officer, in 1951, Goodwyn became the police chief of Montgomery. He remained in this position for twelve years before retiring from the police department. Goodwyn was police chief during a very crucial time in American history: the Civil Rights Movement. He handled Freedom Riders, heated protests, and most importantly, the Rosa Parks incident. Because he was police chief, my great-great-great uncle was indeed the man who ordered for Rosa Parks to be arrested. His decision to have Parks arrested led to the bus boycott and the most intense period of the Civil Rights Movement.
After 37 years, my great-great-great uncle retired from the police department. However, he served as a bailiff for a judge for 13 years after his retirement. Both Goodwyn and Ethel died in 2002, Goodwyn in April and Ethel in June. They had been married for 69 years, and their two sons gave them ten grandchildren and fourteen great-grandchildren. Goodwyn Ruppenthal was a very well-known man in Alabama, both as a police chief and as an overall well-respected person. According to the Tuscaloosa News, Mayor Folmar said Goodwyn was “a good man, a good police chief and a good citizen of Montgomery.”
It’s truly amazing to think that my great-great-great uncle played such a prominent role in American history. The decision to arrest Rosa Parks was one of the most significant moments for the Civil Rights Movement, so it’s mind-blowing that one of my ancestors was directly involved in this controversial choice. While this period may not have been the proudest time for our nation, it still was a crucial era, one that started to pave the way for many necessary changes. Now, knowing of my ancestor’s key role in history, my perspective of the Rosa Parks bus in the Henry Ford Museum has completely changed. I can now sit in Rosa Parks’ seat and feel a personal connection to the events that occurred on that bus.
Works Consulted:
Johnson, Bob. “Chief Who Ordered Parks’ Arrest Dies.” (The Tuscaloosa News) 11 Apr. 2002, 184th ed., sec. 101: 6. The Tuscaloosa News. Tim Thompson, 11 Apr. 2002. Web. 28 Oct. 2014.
“Teachers.Net December 2005 / January 2006 – HARRY & ROSEMARY WONG: Fifty Years Ago Today, The Legacy – EFFECTIVE TEACHING – Teachers.Net Gazette -.” Teachers.net. Harry and Rosemary Wong, n.d. Web. 06 Nov. 2014. <http://www.teachers.net/wong/DEC05/>.