Statement by the President
Rosa
Parks held no elected office. She was not born into wealth or power.
Yet sixty years ago today, Rosa Parks changed America. Refusing to give
up a seat on a segregated bus was the simplest of gestures, but her
grace, dignity, and refusal to tolerate injustice helped spark a Civil
Rights Movement that spread across America. Just a few days after Rosa
Parks’ arrest in Montgomery, Alabama, a little-known, 26 year-old pastor
named Martin Luther King Jr. stood by her side, along with thousands of
her fellow citizens. Together, they began a boycott. Three-hundred
and eighty-five days later, the Montgomery buses were desegregated, and
the entire foundation of Jim Crow began to crumble.
Like so
many giants of her age, Rosa Parks is no longer with us. But her
lifetime of activism – and her singular moment of courage – continue to
inspire us today. Rosa Parks reminds us that there is always something
we can do. It is always within our power to make America better.
Because Rosa Parks kept her seat, thousands of ordinary commuters walked
instead of rode. Because they walked, countless other quiet heroes
marched. Because they marched, our union is more perfect. Today, we
remember their heroism. Most of all, we recommit ourselves to
continuing their march.
Source: The White House, Office of the Press Secretary
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