Lloyd Bentsen: “I rise to honor Rosa Parks for her role in American History. It is long overdue that the Congress recognize her with the…”

“I rise to honor Rosa Parks for her role in American History. It is long overdue that the Congress recognize her with the Congressional Gold Medal for her contribution to the Civil Rights Movement. On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks stood up for human rights when she refused to give up her seat on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama. Her simple yet enormous act of defiance led to the 382 day Montgomery Bus Boycott. Rosa Parks stared down racism and hatred by simply saying ``No.'' No to Jim Crow. Not to second-class citizenship. No to segregation. By doing so, she said yes to freedom and yes to the principle that ``all men are created equal.'' We should not think however, that this resistance was easy. Rosa Parks was thrown in jail, harassed, and humiliated. But, this did not stop her from pressing forward. She displayed exemplary courage at a time when it was unsafe for a black woman to do so. She wanted equality not only for African-Americans, but for all Americans. During this tumultuous time America, Rosa Parks was a beacon of light for our country. Her defiance and the persistence of African-Americans led to the desegregation of public transportation in Montgomery. She has earned her place in history with other civil rights pioneers such as Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.”