Rosa Parks Statue

AME Church Salutes its Daughter

Rosa Parks Statue to be Added to the Capitol Statuary Hall 

~February 27, 2013~

The office of House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, announced Tuesday, February 12 that the statue of Rosa Parks will be dedicated in the National Statuary Hall of the U.S. Capitol. According to Boehner's office, "This will be the first statue of an African-American woman to be placed in the Capitol as part of the National Statuary Hall Collection. I can't think of a greater honor for an American hero who still inspires us all," he concluded.

In an interview about the 2013 Inaugural celebration that was held during the official national celebration of the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Senator Charles E. Schumer (NY) said, "This will be the last time that we have the luncheon in  Statuary Hall where Rosa Parks will not be there."

Bishop Reginald T. Jackson, chairperson of the Commission on Social Action of the AME Church says, "This is not only a tribute to Rosa Parks, but to African Methodism out of which she comes. It continues our legacy of liberation and empowerment of people to make a difference in the world."

The AME Church in 2008 began monitoring the effort to dispose of the archival pieces of Mrs. Parks' personal effects. "Through the hard work of the Commission on Social Action we hope to be a part of insuring that her legacy is preserved for future generations, says Commission on Social Action Director- Sistah "Jackie" Dupont-Walker. The determination of this Christian woman, whose quiet strength set off a movement for freedom, sets the bar high for those who follow in the freedom path.

A special act of Congress, Pub L 109-116, signed on December 1, 2005, directed the Joint Committee on the Library to obtain a statue of Rosa Parks and to place the statue in the United States Capitol in National Statuary Hall in a suitable location. The likeness of Mrs. Parks represents the first commission by Congress for a full-size statue since the 1870's, according to the National Empowerment for the Arts, which oversaw the design competition for the statue.

The legislation moved quickly through the US House of Representatives, the US Senate to be signed by the President on December 1, 2005.

Introduced by Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr. October 26, 2005
Passed Senate: November 18, 2005
Passed House: November 18, 2005
Signed by the President (Bush): December 1, 2005

~Jacquelyn Dupont-Walker
AME Social Action Commission