Richmond – On December 1^st, 1955, Rosa Parks was arrested in Montgomery, Alabama for refusing to give up her bus seat for a white passenger. Exhausted after a long day of work, Rosa paid her fare and took an empty seat in the segregated section of the bus, but as the bus filled up, the driver, James Blake, demanded that she and three other black passengers give up their seats – and Rosa refused.

Parks was an activist – she was secretary for the Montgomery chapter of the NAACP - and she was fed up with the status quo. In this act of quiet rebellion, she would - at great personal cost - begin one of the most famous protests in American history.

The bus was stopped, and Rosa was arrested and convicted for violation of Alabama’s segregation laws. She was fined and given a. suspended sentence – but her arrest led directly to the boycott of the Montgomery Bus System, the year-long protest led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, that brought a national spotlight to the systemic racism inherent in Jim Crow laws across the nation.

In 1956, after a year when Rosa had lost her job and experienced constant death threats, her case made it to the United States Supreme Court, which ruled segregation of the bus system was unconstitutional – a win for civil rights everywhere.

The legacy of Rosa Parks is felt deeply at GRTC, where her courage serves as an inspiration to us all.

“Honoring Rosa Parks Today, her courage echoes in our pursuit of justice,” said GRTC CEO Sheryl Adams: “As the first African American women CEO of GRTC, I see our shared commitment to breaking barriers. Let her legacy inspire us to drive change, fostering a transit system and society where equality is not just a destination but the journey itself.”

Every year on December 1^st GRTC honors her bravery. This year our buses will keep their headlights illuminated the entire day, and our destination signs will share our heartfelt thanks to Rosa Parks for refusing to stand for segregation and injustice. Thank you, Rosa Parks.

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