SR587: SR587 Rosa Parks Day; recognize February 4, 2026

26 LC 129 0578 Senate Resolution 587 By: Senators James of the 28th, Kemp of the 38th, Jackson of the 41st and Sims of the 12th A RESOLUTION Honoring the memory of Mrs. Rosa Parks and recognizing February 4, 2026, as Rosa Parks1 Day at the state capitol; and for other purposes.2 WHEREAS, on December 1, 1955, seamstress Rosa Parks became a beacon of courage and3 a symbol of the Civil Rights Movement when she refused to give up her seat on a city bus4 to a white passenger, accepting arrest, trial, and conviction rather than humiliation; and5 WHEREAS, her quiet insistence on human dignity in the face of s egregation, racism, and6 Jim Crow laws sparked the city-wide bus boycott in Montgomery, Alabama, that brought an7 unknown young minister, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., to national prominence; and8 WHEREAS, alongside Dr. King, Rosa Parks became a leader and an icon in the national9 effort that resulted in the United States Supreme Court decision outlawing the segregation10 of city buses and gave critical momentum to the larger battle for civil rights; and11 WHEREAS, Rosa Parks has been hailed as the "Mother of the Civil Rights Movement" in12 America for her pivotal act on that day in Alabama, as well as for her lifelong commitment13 to justice for Black Americans; and14 S. R. 587 - 1 - 26 LC 129 0578 WHEREAS, Rosa Parks received the Martin Luther King, Jr. Nonvio lent Peace Prize, the15 Presidential Medal of Freedom, and a Congressional Gold Medal; and following her death16 at age 92, she became the first woman to lie in state in the Un ited States Capitol Rotunda;17 and18 WHEREAS, this historic stronghold created a wave of positive change in America, which19 is evident by women being allowed to serve on submarines in the United States armed forces20 and taking leadership positions in religious, business, and pol itical arenas; more women21 serving in Congress than ever before; the first woman, Kamala Harris, being elected to serve22 as Vice President of the United States; and the election of the nation's first Black president;23 and24 WHEREAS, Rosa Parks risked her life on December 1, 1955, in a s elfless effort to end25 racism, it is abundantly fitting and proper that her legacy is honored and the fight for equal26 rights and the ending of racism continues.27 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that the members of this body28 honor the memory of Mrs. Rosa Parks and her gallant service to this nation and the Civil29 Rights Movement and recognize February 4, 2026, as Rosa Parks Day at the state capitol.30 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Senate is authorized and directed31 to make appropriate copies of this resolution available for distribution to the public and the32 press.33 S. R. 587 - 2 -