On what would have been the 100th birthday of Rosa Parks, the U.S. Postal Service honored the civil rights icon with a Forever stamp. On February 4, the stamp was officially unveiled as part of the National Day of Courage ceremonies at The Henry Ford in Dearborn, Mich.
The USPS is celebrating the Best of America with several limited-edition stamps in 2013, including the Civil Rights Series that recognizes the courage of Rosa Parks; freedom embodied in the Emancipation Proclamation; and equality marked by the March on Washington. This iconic series encourages consumers and stamp collectors to celebrate these guiding principles of the Civil Rights Movement.
On Dec. 1, 1955, Parks was arrested in Montgomery, Ala. for refusing to give up her seat on a municipal bus to a white man. Her arrest not only sparked a boycott of the Montgomery bus system that lasted longer than a year, it served to ignite a movement that was ultimately successful in inspiring others to similar courageous acts to challenge racial segregation. Many honors were awarded to Parks in her lifetime, including the Spingarn Medal, the highest award of the NAACP in 1979 and dozens of honorary degrees. She was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in 1999.
The stamp honoring Rosa Parks is being issued as a Forever Stamp.
About Post Author
