The Legislature finds as follows as to Rosa Parks:
(1) On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a Montgomery bus.
(2) This bold act led to the Montgomery bus boycott, a major event in the United States' Civil Rights struggle.
(3) Rosa Parks spent all of her life advocating for Civil Rights for African-Americans.
(4) Following the death of Rosa Parks, her body lay in honor in the rotunda of the United States Capitol, making her the first woman given such honor, the second African-American, and the first American who was not a government official.
(5) A statue of Rosa Parks was placed in the National Statuary Hall at the U.S. Capitol by special action of the U.S. Congress.
(6) That a commemorative statue to honor Rosa Parks would be a worthy addition to the grounds of the Alabama State Capitol, and the Legislature supports the inclusion of such a statue in a place of prominence on the West front of the Capitol facing Bainbridge Street that will convey to future generations the importance of Rosa Parks to the State of Alabama, the United States, and the world.
Last modified: May 3, 2021