The significance of the Rosa Parks incident in the Civil Rights Movement lies in its role as a catalyst for the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the broader fight against racial segregation in the United States. On December 1, 1955, Parks refused to give up her bus seat to a white passenger in Montgomery, Alabama, leading to her arrest. Her courageous act of defiance ignited a year-long boycott of the bus system led by African Americans, significantly impacting public awareness and mobilizing support for civil rights initiatives. Parks' bravery symbolized the struggle for equality and became an enduring icon of the movement.