Rosa Parks to Get a Capitol Statue

[MH1]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/18/AR2005111802504.html

Rosa Parks to Get a Capitol Statue

By Darryl Fears
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, November 19, 2005; Page A07

With less than two weeks remaining before the 50th anniversary of Rosa Parks's refusal to give up her bus seat to a white man in Montgomery, Ala., the House and Senate yesterday unanimously approved legislation that will make Parks the first African American woman to be honored permanently in National Statuary Hall.

The legislation directed the Architect of the Capitol to commission a statue of Parks, a woman whose courageous stand on Dec. 1, 1955, helped to ignite the modern civil rights movement and usher in the desegregation of America. Her likeness will stand beside presidents and staunch segregationists in the hall, including Confederate heroes Robert E. Lee and Jefferson Davis.

(snip)

"This is an extraordinarily historical day for Rosa Parks, for her legacy and all who have benefited from the extraordinary achievements of this woman," said Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-Ill.), who sponsored the House bill.

Jackson said that he and the 40 black members who joined his bill would not be in the House were it not for Parks. White members also got behind the bill, giving it more than 200 co-sponsors.

The Senate passed its own version of the legislation, sponsored by Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.), as night fell.

(snip)

"She did more to build a more perfect union than most statues in the room" where her likeness will stand, Jackson said.

[Old and In the Way]

1. Repubicans fund a statue while they make a full scale effort to

disenfranchise the vote of the poor and minorities.....

[MH1]

2. Sadly, too true. n/t

[sofa king]

3. Yeah, I bet they'll put it in the back seat of a Metrobus

[MH1]

6. Actually...

(I know you're just snarking, but)

The bills were tailored so that a full statue of Parks would stand beside the nation's greatest leaders, and not suffer the fate of Martin Luther King Jr., whose bust was commissioned decades ago by a Capitol architect who was given a choice between that and a full statue.

King's likeness was placed in the Rotunda, away from the more distinguished group, Jackson said.

So, the folks who wrote the bills made sure to be specific about how it is to be done, so it can't be weaseled out of later. I like to see it when our congresscritters pick up on the subtleties like that.

[anitar1]

4. Regardless of their motives, I am happy that Rosa will be

hornered in this way. She certainly deserves it.

[alarcojon]

8. I agree

She deserves this honor. Even the snakes in Washington can do the right thing once in a while.

BTW where do I write to get the MLK snub corrected?

[Hekate]

5. It's the right thing to do, and I'm so glad.

If I ever get a chance to visit the Capitol again I will want to see that remembrance to that gallant lady.

Hekate

[Olney Blue]

7. This is the ONLY good news out of Washington DC this week.

[DemoTex]

9. When Parks' statue is finished, the Congress will be Dem. again.

The White House too. I think it will be fitting and proper that her statue is unveiled by a Democratic President and V-P, with a Democratic Speaker of the House and a Democratic Senate Majority Leader in attendance, too. And please let that august group include more than a mere token of African Americans and other minorities. That is my hope for Rosa Parks' statue.