[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 8] [House] [Pages 10254-10256] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]WHAT THE LIFE OF ROSA PARKS MEANS The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Snyder) is recognized for 5 minutes. Mr. SNYDER. Earlier this evening, Mr. Speaker, I read the essay, the winning essay from Morgan Sweere, age 9, in the fourth grade in Conway, Arkansas. And the title of the essay contest, ``What Rosa Parks Means to Me.'' I would like to read two other winners. The next one is ``What Rosa Parks Will Mean to My Children.'' This is the junior high level essay contest that we held. And the winner of this one in the Second District of Arkansas was Brenna Gilstrap, of the eighth grade at Horace Mann Arts and Science Magnet Middle School in Little Rock, Arkansas. And this is what Brenna Gilstrap has to say, in part, about What Rosa Parks Will Mean for My Children: ``Rosa Parks has always been an amazing icon to people everywhere, symbolizing strength and pride during a period in America where racism thrived. I believe everyone is familiar with her story, how she refused to give up her seat on the bus to another person and she had to simply because they were Caucasian, and how she was arrested for doing so. This story of a brave woman standing up for what she believed in will, in my opinion, greatly influence the attitudes of my children, teaching them important morals. Speak your mind even if your voice shakes. Ban ignorance and pay attention to the mistakes made in the past in order to prevent them in the future. Always stand up for what you believe in because even one little person could make a difference in thousands of lives. These are the things that my children will learn from her story. This is why it will mean something. [[Page 10255]] ``Examine the first moral. Speak your mind even if your voice shakes. What this means is that even if you are nervous, even if you know the consequences to what you are saying can be brutal, as long as you feel deeply in your heart that a change needs to be made, express what you feel. Say exactly what you're thinking and say why. Rosa Parks knew that the fuss she was making wasn't just about a good seat. It was about rights, equal rights for one and all. The right to sit in the good seats, use the good bathrooms, go to the good parties, live the good life, a life without oppression.'' And her essay goes on. This is by Brenna Gilstrap, the winner of the What Rosa Park Will Mean for My Children essay contest in the Second District of Arkansas, and Brenna is in the eighth grade at Horace Mann Arts and Science Magnet Middle School in Little Rock, Arkansas. The winner of the high school version of the contest, ``What Rosa Parks Will Mean for My Grandchildren,'' was won by Alyx Vanness, Conway High School East. {time} 2030 This is her essay in part. ``What I would like my grandchildren to remember about Rosa Parks is the true account of her stand for equality for blacks, and the many features she overcame along the way. Even though she is usually remembered for only one of her protests, I would like my grandchildren to know all the rallies she took part in during her life and how it affected the black community. Rosa Parks became one of the most recognizable civil rights activists on December 1, 1955, when she refused to give up her seat on a bus for a white man. Although a simple act with one woman protesting, it is one of her most remembered fights for justice among the races. The incident is later recalled by Parks in her book Quiet Strength. `I kept thinking about my mother and my grandparents and how strong they were. I knew there was a possibility of being mistreated, but an opportunity was being given to me to do what I had asked of others.' ``Rosa Parks did just that when not going back to the colored section of the bus when a white man had told her to. Most historians account the refusal because she was tired from a long day's work, but to Parks it was more than that. I would like my grandchildren to be told that she did it specifically to stand up for her people, that she was no more tired than the rest of her days. Because of her refusal to get up, a 381 day Montgomery bus boycott was started and her arrest and trial caused the Supreme Court to rule segregation on buses unconstitutional. This opened the gates for many blacks to come one step closer to equality.'' Her essay goes on it. That is part of the winning essay by Alyx Vanness from Conway High School East in the 10th grade in Conway, Arkansas, The high school winner of the what Rosa Parks means for my grandchildren. Mr. Speaker, I include the essays of Brenna Gilstrap and Alyx Vanness for the Record. What Rosa Parks Will Mean For My Children (By Brenna Gilstrap) ``Rosa Parks has always been an amazing icon to people everywhere, symbolizing strength and pride during a period in America where racism thrived. I believe everyone is familiar with her story, how she refused to give up her seat on the bus to another person (and she had to, simply because they were Caucasian) and how she was arrested for doing so. This story of a brave woman standing up for what she believed in, will, in my opinion, greatly influence the attitudes of my children, teaching them important morals. Speak your mind, even if your voice shakes. Ban ignorance, and pay attention to the mistakes made in the past in order to prevent them in the future. Always stand up for what you believe in, because even one little person can make a difference in thousands of lives. These are the things that my children will learn from her story, this is why it will mean something. Examine the first moral: speak your mind, even if your voice shakes. What this means is that even if you're nervous, even if you know the consequences to what you are saying can be brutal, as long as you feel deeply in your heart that a change needs to be made, express what you feel. Say exactly what you're thinking, and say why. Rosa Parks knew that the fuss she was making wasn't just about a good seat; it was about rights, equal rights, for one and all. The right to sit in the good seats, use the good bathrooms, go to the good parties, live the good life, a life without oppression. She spoke her mind, became an icon, an example, a legend; and I am sure that being a little nervous and a little afraid never stopped her. She knew the consequences, but she spoke out. This is what I want my children to do: say what they feel without being afraid of what might happen or what others would think. Examine the next moral: ban ignorance. In other words, pay attention to what happened in the past to prevent mistakes from occurring again. Our country, just like all the others, has made a lot of mistakes: the Japanese camps set up in Arkansas after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, for example. Just because they looked somewhat Japanese, people were sent into crowded camps to live out their lives, forced to sell all that they had, forced to suffer for something they didn't even do. If we didn't learn from that, we might be keeping all people from the Middle East imprisoned now for something they weren't responsible for. And the segregation issues our nation went through concerning African Americans and their rights. If we didn't learn from that, I wouldn't have a lot of the friends that I do now. We would be separated from each other. Rosa Parks helped show America what a big mistake they were making, and I want my children to learn from that, and to stand up like that if they ever get caught in the mistakes of the world. Lastly, examine my final moral: Stand up for what you believe in. This is a moral that no one can forget. When something unjust happens, like someone at your school becomes subject to a daily abusive torrent of insult and injury, or when a presidential candidate comes along that you strongly oppose, or when you are treated unfairly by someone around you, you have to stand up and fight. Don't ever forget that even one voice counts, even when amongst thousands, matters. Justice cannot be reached until you stand up and be counted; even just one more step is closer than no steps at all. Rosa took that step, she was counted. This is what I want my children to do: stand up for what they believe in, no matter what. Rosa Parks was an amazing role model for all ages to look up to. Her timeless story and amazing perseverence in the eyes of oppression has touched, enlightened, and inspired for many generations. The astounding morals her story teaches are guidelines that should be followed in one's everyday life. Hopefully they will inspire my children to become the amazing and inspirational people of tomorrow as Rosa Parks was for yesterday. This is what Rosa Parks will mean for my children.'' ____ Rosa Parks' Story for My Grandchildren (By Alyx Vanness) What I would like my grandchildren to remember about Rosa Parks is the true account of her stand for equality for blacks, and the many feats she overcame along the way. Even though she is usually remembered for only one of her protests, I would like my grandchildren to know all the rallies she took part in during her life, and how it affected the black community. Rosa Parks became one of the most recognizable Civil Rights activist on December 1, 1955, when she refused to give up her seat on a bus for a white man. Although a simple act with one women protesting, it is one of her most remembered fights for justice among the races. The incident is later recalled by Parks in her book, Quiet Strength. ``I kept thinking about my mother and my grandparents, and how strong they were. I knew there was a possibility of being mistreated, but an opportunity was being given to me to do what I had asked of others.'' Rosa Parks did just that when not going back to the colored section of the bus when a white man had told her to. Most historians account the refusal because she was tired from a long days work, but to Parks, it was more than that. I would like my grandparents be told that she did it to specifically stand up for her people, that she was no more tired than the rest of her days. Because of her refusal to get up, a 381-day Montgomery bus boycott was started, and her arrest and trial caused the Supreme Court to rule segregation on buses unconstitutional. This opened the gates for many blacks to come one step closer to equality. Even though the bus incident is one of her most remembered forms of protest, Parks was actively involved in the Civil Rights Movement long before 1955. She was actively involved in the National Association for the Advancement for Colored People (NAACP), serving as secretary and later as Advisor to the Youth Council at the NAACP. She also tried to register to vote several times when it was still nearly impossible for blacks to do so. December of 1955 wasn't the first time she had run-ins with bus drivers, though. She was evicted from buses several times, recalling the humiliation. ``I didn't want to pay my fare and then go around the back door, because many times, even if you did that, you might not get on the bus at all. They'd probably shut the door, drive off, and leave you standing there.'' Parks understood the importance of standing up, and tried in every way to bring justice to her race. She knew that even though [[Page 10256]] it was just her speaking up sometimes, someone had to do it, and once voice would cause others to be raised. Rosa Parks believed in non-violent protest, working along Martin Luther King with equality and black's rights. This is one of the most important lessons taught by Parks; violent does not solve anything. She fully stood behind the concept of peacefully making a difference, setting her apart from the blacks that use hate and fury to gain equality. This caused her to be more recognized and respected, consequently winning over a nation's heart for this quiet but strong spirit. 1995 marked the 40 year anniversary of Rosa Park's refusal at the bus station, and she was still making a difference. Before her death earlier this year, she was active in Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute for Self-Development. It included a program that was Pathways to Freedom, where young people ages 11-18 traveled across the country tracing the Underground Railroad, visiting the scenes of critical events in the civil rights movement, and learning aspects of America's history. Many times she would involve herself in the cross country trip, and students loved talking to her about her experiences. Park's home was located in Detroit, where she still received dozens of letters daily from students, politicians, and just regular people. The greatest characteristics of Rosa Parks was her humbleness and her faith in God. When named ``The Mother of the Civil Rights Movement'', she explained that although ``[she] accept[ed] the honor and appreciat[ed] it,'' Parks makes sure that everyone knows that ``[she] was not the only person involved. [She] was just one of the many who fought for freedom.'' Modesty and her willingness to follow God's will has made her one of the most successful women in the Civil Rights Movement. She had strong religious convictions and in her book she states, ``I'd like for [readers] to know that I had a very spiritual background and that I believe in church and my faith and that has helped to give me the strength and courage to live as I did.'' Rosa Parks did a lot for the black community, and she needs to be remembered for her courageous actions. If I had my choice on what my grandchildren were taught about her, I would want them to know that she was a God fearing, modest, yet democratic woman. I want them to be told her whole story, not just about how she didn't give up her bus seat one day because she was too tired. Rosa Parks needs to be remembered for what she was; honorable. ____________________