Posted: | January 16, 2019 10:03 AM |
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From: | Representative Joanna E. McClinton |
To: | All House members |
Subject: | Rosa Parks Remembrance Day |
On December 1, 1955, one courageous woman’s refusal to surrender her seat on a bus to a white male passenger triggered a wave of protest that reverberated throughout the United States and redirected the course of its history. After her arrest in Montgomery, Alabama, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People organized a 381-day boycott by African Americans of the city’s bus system, of which Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. would be the spokesperson. In solidarity, other non-violent protests took shape throughout the south and the country to demand equal rights for all people, regardless of race or color. The Bus Boycott ultimately led to the landmark 1956 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that segregated bus service was unconstitutional and served as precedent for repealing other segregation laws. Rosa Parks remained an activist throughout her life and received numerous awards and recognitions, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1996. Referred to as the “mother of the civil rights movement,” Rosa Parks’ act of courage, dignity, and determination is a symbol to all to remain free and equal. For her unparalleled pursuit of justice and equality, please join me in designating her 106th birthday, February 4, 2019, as Rosa Parks Remembrance Day and honoring the remarkable achievements of this civil rights icon. |
Introduced as HR55