Rosa Parks First Woman to Lie in Honor in Capital Rotunda

Beginning Sunday, the remains of Rosa Parks lay in honor in the Capital Rotunda for public viewing. By the close of viewing Sunday, more than 30,000 people had filed through the Rotunda to pay their respects, with another 20,000 expected Monday morning, according to the Washington Post. Parks is the first woman, and second African-American, to be honored in this way.

Parks worked for Representative John Conyers (D-MI) for many years, and the Associated Press reports that Conyers said the viewing demonstrated that “the legacy of Rosa Parks is more than just a success for the civil rights movement or for African-Americans. It means it's a national honor.”

At 1 p.m. today, a memorial service was held at the Metropolitan AME Church in Washington DC, featuring tributes from Conyers, Oprah Winfrey, and NAACP chairman Julian Bond. Detroit and Montgomery, AL, are honoring Parks by setting aside the front seats in city buses, and President Bush has ordered flags to be flown at half-mast on Wednesday, the day Parks’ funeral will be held in Detroit.

Media Resources: Associated Press 10/27/05, 10/31/05; Washington Post 10/31/05

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