Mrs. Rosa Lee Parks: Feb. 4, 1913-Oct. 24, 2005

Mrs. Rosa Lee Parks died today of natural causes in her Detroit, Michigan home. She will always be remembered for her refusal to give her seat on the bus to a white man.

In 1955, Jim Crow laws (which had been in place since the end of the Civil War) were still alive in our country. 1955. Many people have the wrong impression that she was just tired, so she didn't want to get up. This is grossly mistaken. She did not get up, because she believed that everyone had the right to sit where they wanted. And she is right.

This started a 381 day bus strike. No black people rode the bus. I'll bet that hurt their pockets. Good for all of you! This is an injustice I am very grateful to Rosa Parks I did not have to grow up to learn.

I was fortunate to grow up in a home and country where we were taught that all people have worth and to respect them. All people are human. All people deserve freedom. All people bleed red. Yes. I was one of the lucky ones. This is not to say that everything is just peachy now. It is not, but it is a lot better.

Rosa Parks's seemingly small act of civil disobedience brought the Civil Rights movement to the fore. It culminated in 1964 with the signing of the federal Civil Rights Act, which bans the discrimination of people because their race. [read more].

God bless you, Mrs. Parks, and may you rest in peace.