In an act that today would seem quite unremarkable, Parks refused his demand, even though the segregation laws said she must. She was arrested, but challenged the segregation law in court. During the court battle, Parks was harassed, threatened, and lost her job. In the end, though, Parks won when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the segregation law unconstitutional.
Rosa Parks' actions were not staged for the television cameras. They were not part of a grand scheme to create a test case in the courts. On the contrary, they were the actions of a single individual determined to preserve her dignity as best she could. They were the actions of a simple lady who, at that moment in her life, decided that enough was enough. She demonstrated the power of conviction and quiet dignity in pursuit of justice.
The U.S. Senate recently approved a resolution awarding Rosa Parks the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest honor that the Congress can bestow upon a private citizen. I cosponsored that resolution which, I believe, pays proper tribute to a woman who sparked an important change in this country. She displayed courage and a lifelong commitment to the Jeffersonian ideal that "all men are created equal."
Across the country, equal rights is the law of the land, but, in too many places, it is the law in name and not in spirit. Reports of violence against a person simply because of the color of his skin or personal beliefs dominate newspaper headlines far too frequently. I hope that all Americans can learn from the lessons of Rosa Parks, and work together to erase hate and discrimination from this nation.
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April 28, 1999