Bill Nelson: “I want to express my thoughts on the passing of a true civil rights pioneer. Rosa Parks' actions almost 50 years ago in…”

“I want to express my thoughts on the passing of a true civil rights pioneer. Rosa Parks' actions almost 50 years ago in Montgomery, AL, ignited a movement that dramatically changed the face of America and the world. Even before her refusal to give up her seat on December 1, 1955, Mrs. Parks was already actively involved in the civil rights movement as the secretary of the local chapter of the NAACP. But her actions that day laid the groundwork for the civil rights movement in the years to follow. As a result of her actions, a local public bus boycott ensued that garnered national attention and resulted in a U.S. Supreme Court ruling prohibiting bus segregation, mass demonstrations throughout the South ensued, and Martin Luther King, Jr. becoming a national civil rights leader. Mrs. Parks' refusal to give up her seat on December 1, 1955, was a simple but dangerous action that highlighted the inequalities faced by millions of Americans living under segregation. Former U.S. poet laureate, Rita Dove, wrote, ``How she sat there, the time right inside a place so wrong it was ready.'' America was ready for change and that change continues today. As the world grieves, let us remember her courage and work to ensure that her legacy continues.”