MRS. ROSA L. PARKS DAY (COMMEMORATION ONLY)

Mrs. Rosa L Parks Day commemorates the civil rights leader Rosa Parks. The day is observed in several states though not as a state holiday in all. In Alabama, Mrs. Rosa L Parks Day is marked as a commemoration only.

Who was Mrs. Rosa L Parks

Rausa Louise McCauley Parks was born in Tuskegee, Alabama, in 1913. She is mainly remembered for the scene she created in December 1955. She was adamant about giving up her bus seat to a white passenger. Rosa had occupied one of the several front seats on the Cleveland Avenue Bus, which were designated for the colored passengers. As the bus filled with white passengers along the way, the bus driver instructed the blacks to give their seats to the whites. Three other blacks in the bus complied, but Rosa refused and remained still in her seat. Due to her stubbornness, and being tired of the racial segregation in the town, she was arrested and charged with violation of the Montgomery City Code. This scene resulted in the public Montgomery Bus Boycott which lasted 381 days and only ended with a supreme court ruling declaration of the segregation in public buses as unconstitutional. Sadly, Rosa Parks died of natural causes in 1977.

When is Mrs. Rosa L Parks Day

Mrs. Rosa L Parks Day is observed on different days in various states. In Alabama, the day is commemorated on December 1, which coincides with Rosa Park’s birthday.

Is Mrs. Rosa L Parks Day a public holiday

Mrs. Rosa L Parks Day is not a state holiday in Alabama. However, it is observed as a commemoration for the great work and life of civil activists. On December 1, 2018, the day was celebrated for the first time.

What is open or closed on Mrs. Rosa L Parks Day

Mrs. Rosa L Parks Day is not a day off to the general public. The government offices, organizations, schools and most businesses remain open. However, some stores are likely to close, especially in areas where marches are likely to happen.

Things to on Mrs. Rosa L Parks Day

Mrs. Rosa L Parks was a civil activist, and therefore, most activities around this day may revolve in fair treatment and address racial discrimination.

One of your to-do list activities on this day is to visit Mrs. Rosa L Parks statue. The statue was elected in Montgomery at the very spot where she had boarded the segregated bus. The statue serves as a reminder to the birth of the civil rights movement.

You could also visit the Rosa Parks Museum, where displays of her trophies and medals are displayed. The museum also holds educational programs regularly, all meant to encourage the public to follow Mrs. Rosa’s footsteps in her role for social justice. The museum also conducts sessions for school children who listen intently to books authored by Mrs. Rosa’s being read to them.

You may also attend a church service at St. Paul AME Church. The church, where Mrs. Rosa worshipped, holds a Rosa Parks Day Ecumenical service in her honor. After the service, there may be a walk to the Rosa Parks Museum.