He was a part of the National Equal Rights League with other famous abolitionists such as Henry Highland Garnet, Frederick Douglass, and John Mercer Langston. Rock's speeches soon began to receive positive public reviews, which led him to travel throughout New England and, occasionally, westward. In 1855, Rock took part in the campaign responsible for the legal desegregation of Boston public schools.
Rock was part of the National Equal Rights League with other prominent abolitionists such as Henry Highland Garnet, Frederick Douglass, and John Mercer Langston. As a result, his speeches attracted positive attention, leading him to travel throughout New England and occasionally into the western territories. In 1855, Rock played a role in the campaign that led to the desegregation of Boston's public schools.