Pelosi: We Mourn the Death of Rosa Parks, But We Celebrate an America That’s More Just Because of the Life of Rosa Parks

Pelosi: We Mourn the Death of Rosa Parks, But We Celebrate an America That’s More Just Because of the Life of Rosa Parks

Wednesday, November 2, 2005

Contact: Brendan Daly/Jennifer Crider, 202-226-7616

Washington, D.C. â€" House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi spoke today at Rosa Parks’ funeral service. Below are Pelosi’s remarks:

â€Å"Bishop Ellis, distinguished members of the clergy, Judge Keith, and all of the distinguished elected officials who are here today, I have the privilege of representing the Congress of the United States as the House Democratic Leader to bring the deepest sympathy and gratitude to the family of Rosa Parks. To the Parks and McCauley family: Thank you for sharing Rosa Parks with us.

â€Å"This is probably the largest delegation of Members of Congress to attend a funeral that any of us can remember. What a beautiful compliment to Rosa Parks and how appropriate.

â€Å"On that day 50 years ago when Rosa Parks took her rightful place at the front of the bus, little did she know that when she would go to her resting place, her funeral would be a tribute heard ‘round the world, and isn’t that appropriate?

â€Å"When Rosa Parks took her place in the front of the bus, she made an act of faith: faith in herself, faith in her country, and faith in her God. Her faith enabled that courageous act and it was a faith taught to her by her grandfather. As you all know, she was a leading AME, a deaconess in the church, and her life exemplified the Gospels.

â€Å"When Rosa Parks sat down at the front of the bus she made an act of great patriotism. She made history that day, but her purpose was to make progress. And indeed she did. Rosa Parks was always about the future, about making the future better for all of America’s children, and making America the America she believed in â€" a better place in which to live.

â€Å"The patriotic act of this brave woman was what people today would call a tipping point. What she did when she became the mother, not just of the modern civil rights movement, she became the mother of modern America because her action affected everything in our country. When she did that, she brought forth change and she invoked others to take action.

â€Å"In Congress we are blessed by her vision. When Rosa Parks ignited the Montgomery Bus Boycott, there were only three African Americans Members of Congress. Today there are 42 and most of them are here today. The Congressional Black Caucus is the conscience of America. Because of the Congressional Black Caucus, America is a better place. But they and Rosa know that we have much more left to do to have America live up to its heritage and its hope.

â€Å"We in Congress believe we have a special relationship with Rosa Parks. Members are here today to celebrate in great numbers, to celebrate the victory of her life, and to celebrate what she taught us about the strength of the human spirit, about the power of one voice, the acts of conscious, small and large, that spurs change.

â€Å"We mourn the death of Rosa Parks, yes, but we celebrate an America that is more fair and more just because of the life of Rosa Parks. God truly blessed America with the life of Rosa Parks.

â€Å"We were all proud when Rosa Parks received the Congressional Gold Medal in a ceremony in her honor in the Capitol Rotunda. It brought honor to Rosa, but luster to the award. Everyone who received it since then and in the future will have an award that is more important because Rosa Parks has received it.

â€Å"This week once again, Rosa Parks again made history to be the first woman to lie in honor in the Capitol Rotunda. But again she made progress; her death reawakened a spirit of social justice in our country. Tens of thousands of people stood in line to pay their respects to her. They had to keep the Capitol open all night. Because she refused to be refused, the Capitol and America opened its arms to Rosa Parks.

â€Å"Now I am Leader of the Democrats in the Congress but, I know I speak for all of my colleagues who are here, Democrats and Republicans, when I say, ‘We want to keep Rosa Parks close to us in the Capitol.’ So I am making the commitment today, from me and from all of us here and our colleagues back in Washington, that we will have a statue of Rosa Parks in the Capitol of the United States.

â€Å"I am sure that soon Rosa Parks will return to the Capitol and that means that everyone who visits the Capitol of the United States will be inspired by her. Young people will learn about her life and she will be a model to them. And so again she will be a major part of America’s history.

â€Å"Long live the legacy of Rosa Parks! God bless you and God bless Rosa Parks!”