John Kerry Introduces Legislation to Honor Rosa Parks in the U.S. Capitol with Statue
November 3rd, 2005
Watching Rosa Parks funeral yesterday, there was mention of the fact that the Congress had plans to honor Rosa Parks with a statue in the Capitol’s Statuary Hall.. Here’s a statement from John Kerry:
Senator John Kerry today introduced legislation to honor Rosa Parks with a statue in the U.S. Capitol’s famed Statuary Hall - making her the first African American honored there. Of the 100 statues in the National Statuary Hall collection, there are currently no African Americans and only eight woman honored.
“Rosa Parks sat down so we could stand up, but not so we could stand still. The bus of prejudice still comes by and each time we have to decide whether to go quietly to the back, or by everyday acts of courage and conviction change the direction of our country. Every American needs to be reminded of her legacy, and one way to keep her legacy alive is to remind everyone who walks through the Capitol - schoolchildren, families, members of Congress and Presidents - that she refused to go quietly to the back of the bus, and we need to follow her example,” said John Kerry.
The Rosa Parks Memorial Statue Act of 2005 is sponsored by Senator Kerry and is co-sponsored by Senators Barack Obama (D-Ill.), Carl Levin (D-Mich.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) and Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.). Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr. (D-Ill.) has introduced similar legislation in the House of Representatives.
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