15th Annual Statewide Tribute to Rosa Parks

Schedule and Details

Monday, December 2, 2019 

4:00-5:30 PM
Arrival and Registration

7:00-8:00 PM
Panel Discussion

The Ohio State University Fawcett Center
2400 Olentangy River Road, Columbus, OH 43210

For more information and to RSVP contact:
Diamond Zimmerman (614) 308-4403
zimmermandc@cota.com

Theme and Panel Discussion

The Power of One: Shaping Our Future Through Courage and Action 

Special Panelists: 

• Congresswoman Joyce Beatty
• Congresswoman Brenda Lawrence
• Vincene Verdun – Associate Professor Emeritus of Law, Ohio State University

Background

On Dec. 1, 1955, Rosa Parks, the mother of the modern civil rights movement, embodied the values of courage, fairness and compassion when she refused to give up her seat on a Montgomery, Alabama, bus to a white passenger. Her spirit inspires Ohio to recognize her legacy each year in “The Power of One,” Ohio’s annual statewide tribute to Rosa Parks.

In 2005, 50 years after Mrs. Parks’ brave act led to events that sparked the civil rights movement, then-State Rep. Joyce Beatty wrote legislation that was signed into law by Gov. Bob Taft to make Ohio the first state to designate Dec. 1 as Rosa Parks Day.

Ohio’s annual tributes have engaged thousands of children and community leaders across the state to celebrate Mrs. Parks’ legacy and example.

In 2009, Ohio’s Rosa Parks Tribute was recognized by the American Public Transportation Association, receiving the grand prize award in the special event category. In 2011, the U.S. House of Representatives recognized and entered the Statewide Tribute to Rosa Parks into the Congressional Record.