Senate passes resolution to mark 100th anniversary of Rosa Parks’ birth
Michigan Sens. Debbie Stabenow and Carl Levin welcomed Senate passage late Wednesday of a resolution honoring the 100th anniversary civil rights pioneer Rosa Parks' birth.
The Senate approved the resolution by unanimous consent. Rep. John Conyers, D-Detroit, has sponsored a similar resolution in the House; Mrs. Parks worked for Conyers' office for more than two decades.
Mrs. Parks' 1955 arrest after refusing to give up her seat on a Montgomery, Ala., bus to a white passenger sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott, a turning point in the fight for civil rights. She and her husband, Raymond, relocated to Michigan in 1957, and she lived there until her death in 2005.
"Rosa Parks proved that the simplest acts can be the most heroic," Stabenow said. "By courageously sitting down to stand up for her basic human dignity, she changed our nation's history and made America a more just and moral place. As her 100th birthday approaches, I'm proud the Senate passed this resolution and all of us in Michigan should be proud that Rosa Parks chose to make our state her home."
"I'm glad the Senate has taken this opportunity to honor this amazing woman," Levin said. "As Michigan and the nation prepare to celebrate Rosa Parks'100th birthday next year, her example of quiet courage will continue to serve as an inspiration to all."
In Michigan, plans are under way to mark the 100th anniversary on Feb. 4, 2013. The Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn will commemorate Mrs. Parks' 100th birthday by calling for a National Day of Courage and sponsoring a program that highlights her contributions to the civil rights movement.
