It was a momentous birthday celebration for Rosa Parks at Dearborn's Henry Ford Museum Monday, when local officials joined with the museum to unveil the Rosa Parks forever stamp.
Monday, Feb. 4, would have been Parks' 100th birthday. The civil rights pioneer passed away on Oct. 24, 2005.
The Henry Ford marked the occasion by launching the Day of Courage—a free, public event encouraging discussion about civil rights in America. The day included prominent speakers, performances, and a chance for attendees to take a seat on the bus where Parks made history on Dec. 1, 1955.
The stamp unveiling, according to U.S. Sen. Carl Levin, was just one more tribute to her memory.
"The beauty of honoring Rosa Parks in this latest way—the beauty of honoring greatness through this postage stamp—is the way it introduces greatness into our every day lives," Levin said. "No honor ... can do true justice to her contributions, but they do help remind us of the power of ordinary people who do extraordinary things."
Levin shared that a resolution was passed in Congress to recognize Parks' 100th birthday. A statue of her will be erected in the Capitol's Statutory Hall in Washington, D.C., this year.
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