Rosa Parks Day is a holiday in honor of the civil rights leader Rosa Parks, celebrated in the U.S. states of Missouri and Massachusetts on her birthday, February 4, in Michigan and California on the first Monday after her birthday, and in Ohio, Texas, Alabama, Tennessee, Oregon and several cities and counties on the day she was arrested The latter date is the icon’s birthday, declared Rosa Parks Day by Ohio and Oregon. A legend of the civil rights movement, Parks’ refusal to give up her bus seat in 1955 ignited a long boycott that lasted for 381 days, leading to the desegregation of transportation in Montgomery, Alabama. Rosa Parks Day honors the civil rights leader who refused to give up her seat on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama, in 1955. Learn more about her story, the Montgomery Bus Boycott, and how to observe this day. History of Rosa Parks Day. Rosa Louise McCauley, who most know as Rosa Parks, was born in Tuskegee, Alabama, on February 4, 1913. Even in her childhood, Parks lived through the realities of segregation. She saw firsthand the impacts of unjustness and racial discrimination. December 1, 1955: Rosa Parks Is Arrested. On Thursday, December 1, 1955, the 42-year-old Rosa Parks was commuting home from a long day of work at the Montgomery Fair department store by bus. Black The Observance of Rosa Parks Day. In California, Rosa Parks Day was first observed on January 5th, 2000, and has been celebrated every year since then in that state on February 4th. In Missouri, Governor Jay Nixon established February 4th as Rosa Parks Day in that state in 2015. Rosa Parks Day is a day of celebration. On December 1st, people around the world celebrate Rosa Parks Day as an opportunity to reflect on her legacy and honor the many ways she challenged systemic racism through activism, courage, and compassion. The History of Rosa Parks Day. Rosa Parks Day became an official observance in the United States when a California State Legislature was passed in 2000. The first celebration took place in Ohio after Joyce Beatty strongly advocated for the passing of the law that would mark a day for the recognition of Rosa Parks’s life and legacy. In the 1950s, Rosa Parks gave the US Civil Rights Movement a huge boost, and inspired Martin Luther King Jr. In 1998, various US states introduced Rosa Parks Day — some on December 1, the ⚡️When is Rosa Parks Day?. The date of Rosa Parks Day varies by location. In some places, including California and Missouri, it is observed on February 4 (her birthday). In other places, including Alabama, Ohio, Oregon, and Tennessee, it is observed on December 1 (the date of her famous protest and arrest in 195 Feb. 4, 1913 Rosa Parks with Martin Luther King Jr. Credit: Wikipedia Rosa Parks was born in Tuskegee, Alabama. Although she is best known for refusing to give up her bus seat, she was active in the civil rights struggle long before. After a long day’s work at a Montgomery department store, where she worked as a seamstress, Parks boarded the Cleveland Avenue bus for home on December 1, 1955. After Parks died in Detroit in 2005 at the age of 92, she became the first woman to lie in honor in the Capitol Rotunda in Washington, D.C. California, Missouri, Ohio, and Oregon commemorate Rosa Parks Day every year, and highways in Missouri, Michigan, and Pennsylvania bear her name. Rosa Parks (born February 4, 1913, Tuskegee, Alabama, U.S.—died October 24, 2005, Detroit, Michigan) was an American civil rights activist whose refusal to relinquish her seat on a public bus precipitated the 1955–56 Montgomery bus boycott in Alabama, which became the spark that ignited the civil rights movement in the United States. On February 4, to celebrate Rosa Parks's 100th birthday, the Henry Ford Museum declared the day a "National Day of Courage" with 12 hours of virtual and on-site activities featuring nationally recognized speakers, musical and dramatic interpretative performances, a panel presentation of "Rosa's Story" and a reading of the tale "Quiet Strength When Rosa passed away on October 24, 2005, at the age of 92, people around the world mourned her loss. Her body lay in honor in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda, an honor reserved for only a few great Americans. Why Rosa Parks Matters. Rosa Parks’ story is a reminder that courage doesn’t always come with loud speeches or grand gestures. This day serves to honor the legacy of the civil rights activist, Rosa Parks on what would have been her 112 th birthday. Pictured on the right, is the print out that will be found on our transit services on Feb. 4, on a seat reserved for Rosa Parks. Upcoming holidays in the United States. Holidays in the United States 2025. Holidays in the United States 2026. Rosa Parks Day is an American observance to honor civil rights activist Rosa Parks, who was known for refusing to give up her seat on a bus. On a winter's evening in 1955, a 42-year-old African-American woman named Rosa Parks, tired after a long day of work as a seamstress, boarded a bus in Montgomery, Alabama to get home.
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