County NAACP celebrates Rosa Parks

The St. Louis County Branch of the NAACP will host its 10th Annual Rosa Parks Observance Day celebration 3 p.m. Sunday February 23 at the Old Court House Downtown St. Louis

The keynote speaker for the afternoon will be U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee of Houston, Texas. Jackson-Lee was an especially vocal critic of the Congress’ failure to pass an extension of long-term unemployment benefits. She is serving her tenth term as a House Democrat.

She has been hailed by Ebony magazine as one of the 100 Most Fascinating Black Women. Congressional Quarterly named her one of the 50 most effective Members of Congress and U.S. News and World Report named her one of the 10 most influential legislators in the House of Representatives.  

Most recently, she was named the Member of Congress with the largest and most impressive vocabulary based on the words that may be found on the SAT. She earned a B.A. in political science from Yale University with honors, followed by a J.D. from the University of Virginia Law School. Her outspoken progressive stands on the House floor have made her a favorite target of right-wing blogs.

“We are honored that Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee will be joining us for this historic occasion,” said Esther Haywood, president of the St. Louis County NAACP.  

The County NAACP will present the Rosa Parks Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to recently retired Executive Vice President External Relations AT&T Debra Hollingsworth. The Builders of Community award for Diversity and Inclusion will be presented to CBS affiliate KMOV TV. The emcee will be Andre Hepkins of News 4.

“This year and location has great significance because just 10 years ago the bill that I passed was signed into law in that very rotunda, and now this great American hero is one of America’s most celebrated martyrs,” Haywood said.

In 2004, then state Rep. Haywood sponsored H.B. 1256 establishing Feb. 4 as Rosa Parks Day in Missouri annually.

For information, email specialevents@stlcountynaacp.org or call 314-389-1552.

Nixon recognizes Rosa Parks 

Gov. Jay Nixon has proclaimed Tuesday, Feb. 4, as Rosa Parks Day in Missouri to honor the famed civil rights pioneer on what would have been her 101st birthday. A state law passed in 2006 designates that date to especially remember and honor the late Parks, who was born on Feb. 4, 1913 and who died in 2005.

In 1955, Parks refused to obey the order of a bus driver to give up her seat to a white male passenger on a city bus in Montgomery, Ala., leading to the successful boycott of the segregated city bus system and drawing national attention. She has been described as the “Mother of the Modern Day Civil Rights Movement,” and her refusal is considered one of the seminal events of the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s.

“Missouri stands with the nation in honoring this great American,” Gov. Nixon said. “Almost 60 years after her courageous deed, we can honor the legacy of Rosa Parks by continuing to strive to protect the civil rights of all Americans.”