In Honor of Rosa Parks

In his first act as Speaker of the California state Assembly, Herb J. Wesson Jr. renamed and dedicated a portion of the Santa Monica Freeway (I-10), from the 110 to the 405, as the "Rosa Parks Freeway". Rosa Parks is heralded as the "Mother of the Modern Day Civil Rights Movement".

"There is, arguably, no other person who deserves more praise and credit for our country's social progress over the past fifty years than Mrs. Rosa Parks, " Herb J. Wesson said. Dedicating this freeway in her name is the very least we can do to show our heartfelt gratitude for her life's work, and is especially appropriate during this month when we honor black history."

Rosa Parks was arrested on December 1, 1955, in Montgomery, Alabama, for refusing to give up her seat on a bus to a white man, and her stand for equal rights became legendary.

Rosa Parks is honored as the "Mother of the Modern Day Civil Rights Movement", because her refusal to surrender her seat in compliance with Montgomery's segregation law inspired the civil rights movement, which has resulted in the breackdown of numerous legal barriers and the lessening of profound discrimination against people of color in this country.

(e.g.) Today it is taken for granted that any seat on the bus may be occupied by any rider.

On Friday February 8th, a cosmetic duplicate bus in which Rosa Parks stood up for her rights, drove the renamed Rosa Parks Freeway filled with officials.

Egon Kafka coordinator at The Cantos Collection was driving, in an atmosphere charged with emotion.