Downtown in Grand Rapids in Kent County, Michigan — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Rosa Louise Parks
February 4, 1913 - October 24, 2005
Photographed by Joel Seewald, April 5, 2024
1. Rosa Louise Parks Marker
Rosa Louise Parks became known as the mother of the modern day civil rights movement after she refused to surrender her seat to a white man on a Montgomery Alabama bus on December 1, 1955. Her action sparked a 381-day boycott of the bus system and ignited a national movement that ended legal segregation.
Mrs. Parks was a resident of Michigan for nearly 50 years and often visited Grand Rapids. She died at the age of 92, and was honored on September 30, 2010, with the dedication of this sculpture by the people of Grand Rapids at the park that bears her name.
Ed Dwight - Sculptor
Left side:
"I am leaving this legacy to all of you... to bring peace, justice, equality, love and fulfillment of what our lives should be. Without vision, the people will perish, and without courage and inspiration, dreams will die - the dream of freedom and peace."
"I would like to be known as a person who is concerned about freedom, and equality, and justice, and prosperity for all people."
Right side:
"Memories of our lives, of our works and our deeds will continue in others"
"Each person must live their life as a model for
this page online
Erected 2010.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Civil Rights • Women. A significant historical date for this entry is September 30, 2010.
Location. 42° 57.969′ N, 85° 40.321′ W. Marker is in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in Kent County. It is in Downtown. It is on Monroe Center Street Northwest near Monroe Avenue Northwest, on the right when traveling south. The marker is in Rosa Parks Circle. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 135 Monroe Center St NW, Grand Rapids MI 49503, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in West Michigan. It is also in the American Midwest and on the Great Lakes. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Northwest Territory.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Arthur H. Vandenberg (a few steps from this marker); Rosa Parks / Maya Lin (within shouting distance of this marker); Love, 1966-1999 (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); The Salvation Army
Photographed by Joel Seewald, April 5, 2024
2. Rosa Louise Parks Marker & left side
Photographed by Joel Seewald, April 5, 2024
3. Rosa Louise Parks Marker & right side
Photographed by Joel Seewald, April 5, 2024
4. Rosa Louise Parks Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on August 3, 2024. It was originally submitted on July 31, 2024, by Joel Seewald of Madison Heights, Michigan. This page has been viewed 153 times since then and 22 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on July 31, 2024, by Joel Seewald of Madison Heights, Michigan.
