[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 15]
[House]
[Pages 20183-20186]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 RECOGNIZING 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF ROSA LOUISE PARKS' REFUSAL TO GIVE UP 
   HER SEAT ON THE BUS AND THE SUBSEQUENT DESEGREGATION OF AMERICAN 
                                SOCIETY

  Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree 
to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 208) recognizing the 50th 
anniversary of Rosa Louise Parks' refusal to give up her seat on the 
bus and the subsequent desegregation of American society.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 208

       Whereas most historians date the beginning of the modern-
     day Civil Rights Movement in the United States to December 1, 
     1955;
       Whereas December 1, 1955, is the date of Rosa Louise Parks' 
     refusal to give up her bus seat to a white man and her 
     subsequent arrest;
       Whereas Rosa Louise Parks was born on February 4, 1913, as 
     Rosa Louise McCauley to James and Leona McCauley in Tuskegee, 
     Alabama;
       Whereas Rosa Louise Parks was educated in Pine Level, 
     Alabama, until the age of 11, when she enrolled in the 
     Montgomery Industrial School for Girls and then went on to 
     attend the Alabama State Teachers College's High School;
       Whereas on December 18, 1932, Rosa Louise McCauley married 
     Raymond Parks and the two settled in Montgomery, Alabama;
       Whereas, together, Raymond and Rosa Parks worked in the 
     Montgomery, Alabama, branch of the National Association for 
     the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), where Raymond 
     served as an active member and Rosa served as a secretary and 
     youth leader;
       Whereas on December 1, 1955, Rosa Louise Parks was arrested 
     for refusing to give up her seat in the ``colored'' section 
     of the bus to a white man on the orders of the bus driver 
     because the ``white'' section was full;
       Whereas the arrest of Rosa Louise Parks led African 
     Americans and others to boycott the Montgomery city bus line 
     until the buses in Montgomery were desegregated;
       Whereas the 381-day Montgomery bus boycott encouraged other 
     courageous people across the United States to organize in 
     protest and demand equal rights for all;
       Whereas the fearless acts of civil disobedience displayed 
     by Rosa Louise Parks and others resulted in a legal action 
     challenging Montgomery's segregated public transportation 
     system which subsequently led to the United States Supreme 
     Court, on November 13, 1956, affirming a district court 
     decision that held that Montgomery segregation codes deny and 
     deprive African Americans of the equal protection of the laws 
     (352 U.S. 903);
       Whereas, in the years following the Montgomery bus boycott, 
     Rosa Louise Parks moved to Detroit, Michigan, in 1957, and 
     continued her civil rights work through efforts that included 
     working in the office of Congressman John Conyers, Jr., from 
     1965 until 1988, and starting the Rosa and Raymond Parks 
     Institute for Self Development, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) that 
     motivates youth to reach their highest potential, in 1987;
       Whereas Rosa Louise Parks has been commended for her work 
     in the realm of civil rights with such recognitions as the 
     NAACP's Springarn Medal in 1979, the Martin Luther King, Jr., 
     Nonviolent Peace Prize in 1980, the Presidential Medal of 
     Freedom in 1996, and the Congressional Gold Medal in 1999; 
     and
       Whereas in 2005, the year marking the 50th anniversary of 
     Rosa Louise Parks' refusal to give up her seat on the bus, we 
     recognize the courage, dignity, and determination displayed 
     by Rosa Louise Parks as she confronted injustice and 
     inequality: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring), That the Congress--
       (1) recognizes and celebrates the 50th anniversary of Rosa 
     Louise Parks' refusal to give up her seat on the bus and the 
     subsequent desegregation of American society;
       (2) encourages the people of the United States to recognize 
     and celebrate this anniversary and the subsequent legal 
     victories that sought to eradicate segregation in all of 
     American society; and
       (3) endeavors to work with the same courage, dignity, and 
     determination exemplified by civil rights pioneer, Rosa 
     Louise Parks, to address modern-day inequalities and 
     injustice.


[[Page 20184]]


  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Foley). Pursuant to the rule, the 
gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Sensenbrenner) and the gentleman from 
Michigan (Mr. Conyers) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. 
Sensenbrenner).


                             General Leave

  Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend 
their remarks and include extraneous material on H. Con. Res. 208 
currently under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Wisconsin?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Con. Res. 208, 
recognizing the 50th anniversary of Rosa Louise Parks' refusal to give 
up her seat on the bus and the subsequent desegregation of American 
society.
  Fifty years ago, one individual, through one courageous act, gave 
strength to the citizens of Montgomery, Alabama, to stand up to the 
injustice and indignity that had become commonplace among its citizens. 
Rosa Parks accomplished this heroic feat through the single act of 
refusing to give up her seat on the bus to a white man. Her single act 
of defiance and refusal to accept the status quo led to the 381-day 
Montgomery bus boycott and eventually to the desegregation of 
Montgomery, Alabama.
  However, Rosa Parks' courageous act meant much more. It inspired a 
broader movement that struggled and pushed back against a Nation that 
had failed to keep its promise to all its citizens to promote equality, 
justice, and fairness under the laws. It paved the way for this Nation 
to hold unacceptable the injustices and disparate treatment experienced 
by many of its citizens. Rosa Parks' courage helped restore to all 
citizens the dignity and respect that every person deserves. Her single 
act of courage will forever serve as a constant reminder of the true 
meaning of equal protection under the laws and the responsibility of 
each of us to stand up to inequality and injustice.
  Rosa Parks is an inspiration to all of us and is a reflection of what 
it means to be an American. I encourage my colleagues to join me in 
recognizing Rosa Parks and her important contribution toward helping 
America realize the freedom and equality envisioned by our 
Constitution.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, this is a proud moment in our history, and I begin by 
commending the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Sensenbrenner), chairman 
of the Committee on the Judiciary, for the work he has done in helping 
me bring this concurrent resolution to the floor today.
  Why is this historic? Because the impetus to reconnect with this 
struggle for racial justice in America began with this humble lady, a 
seamstress in Alabama, who on December 1, 1955, chose to no longer obey 
the ordinance that blacks sit in the back of the bus and if it was 
full, then they give up the bus to white passengers.
  It is hard to conceive of the total segregation that this Nation was 
immersed in. On that day, she refused to obey a bus driver's order; and 
it began the chain of actions and organizations and commitments that 
led to a resurgence of the civil rights movement as we know it.
  Her arrest sparked a boycott of the Montgomery city bus lines. It 
went on for over a year as more and more people of all backgrounds and 
colors and economic classes joined in. Finally this matter reached, in 
November of 1956, the Supreme Court of the United States. The Supreme 
Court of the United States affirmed that desegregation codes deny under 
the 14th amendment the equal protection of laws to African Americans.
  This is a great moment because the present is tied to the past. The 
other body is in the process of determining who the next Chief Justice 
of that Supreme Court will be.
  Hurricane Katrina has made us remember how deeply poverty and race 
have brought most of the hardship upon people of color in New Orleans 
and in Mississippi where the havoc is still being counted, 400 deaths 
now known; but the number is sure to go far, far beyond that.
  Now a word about Rosa Parks herself because I happen to be connected 
with this, meeting her through my work with Dr. Martin Luther King as 
an attorney and then getting to know her when she left Montgomery and 
came to Detroit.
  She was so modest. They said she got fired from her job a month after 
the boycott. Here is what she said in the book she wrote: ``A month 
after the boycott began, I lost my $25-a-week job when the Montgomery 
Fair department store closed its tailor shop. I was given no indication 
from the store that my boycott activities were the reason I lost my 
job. People always wanted to say it was because of my involvement in 
the boycott. I cannot say this is true. I do not like to form in my 
mind something I do not have any proof of.'' That exemplifies this 
incredible humbleness that marked everything that she did.
  I said the first person I am going to bring into my congressional 
office staff is Rosa Parks, and she accepted. Never once have I ever 
heard her raise her voice in anger. Never once have I heard her speak 
negative or unkind remarks about anybody, this persona, this modest 
woman of incredible determination who, by the way, brought Martin 
Luther King into Montgomery to help lead the Montgomery bus boycott, 
which was the start of his career as a civil rights leader. Yet this 
humble woman, quiet, dignified, always pleasantly composed, was able to 
bring forward this and other countless acts of civil disobedience which 
resulted in us changing the way that America operates.
  It was Rosa Parks that did all of this; and what I wanted to do was 
let Members know that she, by bringing Martin King into this matter, 
was able to begin a civil rights movement much, much larger than the 
boycott itself.
  She then started the Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute for Self-
Development, a nonprofit organization that sought to motivate youth. On 
this recognition of the 50th anniversary of that refusal to give up her 
seat, I am very proud that the Congress has chosen to join in with us 
by way of this concurrent resolution and remember this incredible point 
in American history.
  I lift up the name of Ms. Elaine Steele, who has been with Rosa Parks 
for years and years as her assistant, as her counselor, as her dearest 
friend, and attorney Gregory J. Reed who has given her the legal 
background and support that she has needed from time to time.
  This is a great day in the history of America that we remember. It is 
a great day in the Congress that we can remember that Martin King 
challenged his own country which he loved very much. But when he felt 
it was wrong, dissent was the highest form of patriotism that he could 
exemplify what this country stood for. And civil rights pioneer Rosa 
Parks, by displaying her defiant act of courage 50 years ago, has made 
this country more of what it ought to be than anyone else that I can 
think of.
  So I join with my colleagues in celebrating the ideals of Ms. Parks 
and the civil rights movement.
  Today we honor Rosa Parks and her decision to stand up to injustice 
50 years ago. On December 1, 1955, Ms. Parks refused to obey a bus 
driver's order that she give up her bus seat in the black section to a 
white man because the white section was full.
  It is the courage, dignity, and determination that Ms. Parks 
exemplified on this day that allows most historians to credit her with 
beginning the modern day civil rights movement. Ms. Parks' actions on 
December 1, 1955 led to the desegregation of American society and 
enabled all of this Nation's citizens to realize freedom and equality.
  The arrest of Ms. Parks led African-Americans and sympathizers of 
other races to boycott the Montgomery city bus line until the buses in 
Montgomery were desegregated. The

[[Page 20185]]

381-day Montgomery bus boycott encouraged other courageous people 
across the United States to organize in protest and demand equal rights 
for all.
  The fearless acts of civil disobedience displayed by Rosa Parks and 
others resulted in the United States Supreme Court, on November 13, 
1956, affirming a district court decision that held that Montgomery 
segregation codes deny and deprive African-Americans of the equal 
protection of the laws. This decision would lead to other landmark 
Supreme Court decisions in which the Court would rule in the interest 
of justice and equality.
  In the years following the Montgomery bus boycott, Ms. Parks moved to 
Detroit, MI in 1957 and continued her civil rights work by working in 
my district office. Ms. Parks was with the office from 1965 until 1988. 
In the more than 20 years that Ms. Parks was in the office, she worked 
with a tireless spirit for the people of Detroit and other Americans.
  In 1987, she started the Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute for Self 
Development in Detroit, a nonprofit organization which motivates youth 
to reach their highest potential. So it is with great pleasure and 
honor that I stand today to recognize not only a civil rights pioneer, 
but a member of my staff, a constituent, and a friend.
  It is in this recognition of the 50th anniversary of Ms. Parks' 
refusal to give up her seat on the bus, that I ask the Congress and the 
great people of this Nation to work with the same courage, dignity, and 
determination exemplified by her to address modern day inequalities and 
injustices. As a result of Hurricane Katrina, these inequalities and 
injustices are at the forefront of public consciousness and it is our 
job to do something about it.
  Ms. Parks has said, ``Until everyone can enjoy the same 
opportunities, people cannot be equal. I am glad that segregation is no 
longer considered acceptable, but the fight for equal rights must go on 
until we have the same privileges and opportunities as those who are in 
power.''
  Civil rights pioneer Rosa Parks displayed a defiant act of courage 50 
years ago to better this country for all of its citizens. I know that 
this Congress and the people of this Nation can work to further the 
ideals of Ms. Parks and the civil rights movement.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Con. 
Resolution 208, recognizing the 50th anniversary of Rosa Parks' refusal 
to give up her seat on the bus and the subsequent desegregation of 
American society. Passage of this bill will not only recognize the 
important anniversary, but also reaffirm the United States' continuing 
commitment to the legacy of Rosa Parks and the civil rights movement as 
a whole.
  On December 1, 1954, Rosa Parks boarded her normal bus home and sat 
down in one of the ``colored'' aisles toward the back of the bus. Soon, 
the bus began to fill, and Rosa was ordered to vacate her seat to 
accommodate the white passengers. She simply but stubbornly refused.
  This peaceful act of protest sparked a citywide boycott of the bus 
system by the African American community. Men, women and children of 
Montgomery, Alabama refrained from riding the bus and instead either 
walked, rode their bikes or carpooled to work. In an impressive show of 
strength and courage, the boycott endured for over a year, and people 
across the nation joined with those in Montgomery. After 381 days, the 
City bus line finally relented and desegregated the buses.
  Four days after the initial incident on the bus, a young man stood up 
in front of a large audience, having just been appointed as the head of 
the boycott: ``There comes a time,'' the man said, ``that people get 
tired. We are here this evening to say to those who have mistreated us 
for so long, that we are tired, tired of being segregated and 
humiliated, tired of being kicked about by the brutal feet of 
oppression.'' The name of that young man spurred to action by Rosa 
Parks was Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
  Rosa was found guilty that very same day of breaking the city's 
segregation law. It was 50 years ago that Rosa Parks chose to 
peacefully but willfully stand up--or rather sit down--against the 
abhorrent laws that segregated this country. Let us honor and celebrate 
what Rosa Louise Parks helped this country accomplish half a century 
ago, but also remember that her fight is not over. This anniversary 
reminds us of the battles against inequality and injustice still being 
fought here and across the world today.
  I support H. Con. Res. 208 for the foregoing reasons, and I urge my 
colleagues to follow suit.
  Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today as an original cosponsor of H. 
Con. Res. 208, a resolution recognizing the 50th anniversary of Rosa 
Louise Parks' refusal to give up her seat on a city bus in Montgomery, 
Alabama. On December 1, 1955, Ms. Parks challenged decades of social 
injustice and inequality; she opposed a racist authority; she initiated 
a movement of change. It was on that day 50 years ago, that a woman 
spoke up for not only herself, but for the freedoms of all people, 
everywhere when she refused to give up her seat.
  Ms. Parks' service to the civil rights movement began long before 
that fateful December day. Born and raised in Alabama, Rosa Louise 
McCauley attended the Alabama State Teachers College before marrying 
Raymond Parks in 1932. Together, they worked for the Montgomery branch 
chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored 
People (NAACP). Ms. Parks took on leadership roles in the organization, 
serving as a secretary and then as an advisor to the NAACP Youth 
Council. These efforts to improve the lives of those in segregated 
societies grew into a movement to end segregation outright. That 
movement found a voice in Rosa Parks.
  On December 1, 1955, Ms. Parks boarded a Montgomery city bus through 
the rear entrance. She sat in the section designated for ``colored.'' 
She obeyed the ludicrous segregation laws until a white man, wanting a 
seat, demanded hers. It was then that Ms. Parks decided that her 
compliance would end.
  Ms. Parks was arrested for her civil disobedience. The arrest incited 
a reaction. Ms. Parks, Martin Luther King Jr., and others channeled 
that reaction to form one of the most powerful and positive movements 
in world history. The following day, civil rights advocates organized a 
boycott of the bus system that lasted for 381 days. On November 13, 
1956, the Supreme Court ruled that segregation on the transportation 
system was unconstitutional and this provided one of the first 
victories for desegregation. We recognize the many people responsible 
for the effective boycott and the tremendous support of civil rights 
leadership. But, today, we celebrate the woman who imbued the movement 
with such dedication, dignity, and courage.
  Rosa Parks' commitment to civil rights continued with her work in the 
office of my colleagues, Representative John Conyers, Jr., from 1965-
1988. In 1987, she established the Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute for 
Self Development to motivate youths. She has been honored for her 
contributions to society with the NAACP's Springarn Medal in 1979, the 
Martin Luther King, Jr., Nonviolent Peace Prize in 1980, the 
Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1996, and the Congressional Gold Medal 
in 1999.
  Let us honor the 50th anniversary of Ms. Parks' refusal to give up 
her seat. Let us celebrate the lifetime achievements of a truly 
incredible woman. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H. Con. 
Res. 208.
  Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the 
resolution commemorating Rosa Parks on the 50th Anniversary of her 
refusal to give up her seat on a Montgomery, Alabama bus and comply 
with an unjust law.
  I also want to thank my colleague from Michigan, Mr. Conyers, for 
offering this important amendment and for his courage, leadership, and 
vision as the ranking member on the House Judiciary Committee and the 
Dean of the Congressional Black Caucus.
  Without question, Rosa Parks, was a pivotal force in the struggle for 
civil rights in America.
  Ms. Parks' courageous action touched millions of lives, serving as a 
catalyst for the legendary bus boycott in Alabama and acting as a 
critical turning point in the African-American civil rights movement.
  With the support of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and other civil rights 
activists, Rosa Parks demonstrated the power of individuals and 
communities to tear down injustice and bring about social change.
  Her spark ignited a fire that helped to reverse segregation, raise 
public consciousness, and challenge our democracy to guarantee and 
secure liberty and justice for all.
  Rosa Parks is a true shero. But as we commemorate Rosa and her 
actions today, let us not forget that we still have much more work to 
do.
  It is our job as representatives of the people to pick up the banner 
carried by Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, Medger Evers, and others and 
ensure that our children and our children's children can live in a 
world free of ignorance, prejudice, discrimination and racism.
  Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, nearly 50 years ago on December 1, 1955, 
history was altered considerably by the refusal of a Black woman to 
give up her seat to a White man on a public bus. This woman was Rosa 
Parks, a seamstress and the secretary of the NAACP from Montgomery, AL.
  Mr. Speaker, on that day Rosa Parks was not only tired from a hard 
day at work, but also of the torment and persecution endured by Blacks 
of her day. Based solely on the color of her skin, she had encountered 
much

[[Page 20186]]

discrimination throughout the years, and finally, on that day, decided 
she was fed up.
  We all know the story, but let me remind my colleagues. On that 
Thursday evening in December, Mrs. Parks decided that she would not 
give up her seat for a White man to sit down in the ``Colored'' 
section, and was consequently arrested for violating segregation laws.
  Ms. Parks' arrest marked the point of conception of the civil rights 
movement. What followed can be described as no less than monumental. 
The Black community of Montgomery, AL, decided to boycott the bus 
system--that by the way, relied heavily on their 75 percent ridership 
for revenue. Montgomery's Black community, led by a young Martin Luther 
King, Jr. who endorsed nonviolence as a means to achieve equality, 
chose to walk, carpool, or ride bicycles instead of riding the bus.
  Despite huge revenue losses, the Montgomery bus system refused to 
alter its segregation policies.
  Despite endless provocation from Whites, who often resorted to acts 
of violence and harassment, the Black community continued its boycott 
for over a year.
  Finally, approximately a year after Rosa Parks refused to give up her 
seat on the bus, on November 13, 1956, the Supreme Court declared 
Montgomery's bus segregation ordinance unconstitutional. Shortly 
thereafter, the Federal Interstate Commerce Commission banned 
segregation on all interstate trains and buses.
  Although there were many other subsequent laws and decrees that 
helped to desegregate America, Rosa Parks' courage was the incipient 
act that sparked the stand for equality across the Nation--culminating 
in the civil rights movement.
  It is for these reasons that I strongly support this resolution 
honoring Mrs. Parks' bravery. I thank my good friend, Representative 
John Conyers, for spearheading this noble effort and I urge my 
colleagues to support its passage.
  Mr. MEEHAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Con. Res. 208 and 
commend the gentlemen from Wisconsin and Michigan for bringing this 
concurrent resolution to the floor today.
  Fifty years ago this coming December, Rosa Louise Parks inspired a 
town, a movement, and a Nation to hold true to the ideals and 
principles upon which our Nation was founded. By refusing to give up 
her seat after a long day of work because she felt she was being 
treated unfairly, Rosa Parks demonstrated the quiet strength that 
typified her life.
  Her arrest led to the 381-day Montgomery bus boycott and to the 
eventual repeal of the segregation laws of the South. Her individual 
act of defiance is considered by many to be the beginning of the civil 
rights movement.
  Ten years later, on August 6, 1965, President Lyndon Johnson signed 
into law the Voting Rights Act, which in later years was strengthened 
with amendments to affirm the rights of non-Whites to vote and to be 
represented fairly in government. This fall, parts of the Voting Rights 
Act will come before Congress to be reauthorized. We must not only 
renew our commitment to the voting rights protected under that 
legislation, but look to strengthen voter rights and to improve our 
electoral systems. And we must forever link our current state of 
freedom with the sacrifice of exceptional individuals like Rosa Parks 
who stood up to oppression and changed history.
  Let us celebrate the lifetime achievements of a truly remarkable 
woman. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H. Con. Res. 208.
  Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Sensenbrenner) that the House suspend the 
rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 208.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the concurrent resolution was 
agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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