Presbyterian Washington Office director offers tribute to Rosa Parks

ROSA PARKS: A Tribute

[10-28-05]

The nation mourns the passing of Rosa Parks, who will forever be one of the enduring symbols of this nation's struggle for racial equality. Her actions, which led to the Montgomery bus boycott of 1955, resulted in more than just the freeing up of a single seat on a single bus in a single city in a lone country we call America. Her actions, to remain seated and not to give up her place to a white male, not only meant that African Americans could now stay seated anywhere on public buses, but her actions subsequently led to other moves toward legal equality and equal opportunity. Equal opportunity in employment with the passage of the Civil rights Act of 1965, meant that not only could African Americans ride the bus, but as the saying goes, could now even drive it and even own the bus company!!! Legal equality – in education came with the 1954 Supreme Court decision in Brown vs. Board of Education. Equality – in voting with the Congressional approval of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. And Equality – in housing because of the 1968 Fair Housing Act. This is to name just a few such measures toward legal equality.

With the passing of Rosa Parks, the nation has lost one of its greats. Ms. Parks has been called an ICON of a movement. Rightly, the United States Senate and House of Representatives will allow her to lie in honor in the Rotunda of the Capitol. As we mourn her, she would probably be the first to say that we still have more to do. Legal equality has not brought about actual social equality -in education, health care, housing and employment. We need only look around to see that inequality is still a fact of life in the United States. Katrina washed away the coverings of systemic poverty in one part of our nation, but it still exists in many places in the US and around the world.

In small stories printed in national newspapers we can find stories of studies which indicate that our society has not yet arrived. On October 14, 2005, the Washington Postprinted a story entitled, "Painkillers Under stocked in Minority Areas, Study Says." The study indicated that pharmacies in African American neighborhoods, whether poor or middle-class, did not stock as many painkillers as did pharmacies in white neighborhoods. The story suggested that doctors were less likely to prescribe pain medication to African American people.

USA Today reported that "Hospital inequalities widen the care gap-New Studies of the persistent racial divide may point to solutions." This story was about a 52 year old African American women who never received a prostheses after a mastectomy this past July. The story continued, "She can not afford the pills to keep her cancer from returning."

Several civil rights organizations have released information about new public service radio ads that will attempt to give support and information to Asians who are the subject of housing discrimination. These ads will be in ten Asian languages.

We still have much to do. In Rosa Parks' memory we should celebrate the strides we have made while still striving for both legal and societal equality for all persons.

In a broken and fearful world the Spirit gives us courage to pray without ceasing, to witness among all peoples to Christ as Lord and Savior, to unmask idolatries in Church and culture, to hear the voices of people long silenced, and to work with others for justice, freedom, and peace.

In gratitude to God, empowered by the Spirit, We strive to serve Christ in our daily tasks and to live holy and joyful lives, even as we watch for God's new heaven and new earth praying, "Come Lord Jesus!" (Brief Statement of Faith-Presbyterian Church (USA))

"For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence, but through love become slaves to one another. For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' If, however, you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by on another." Galatians 5: 13-15

Rev. Elenora Giddings Ivory
Director, Washington Office
Presbyterian Church (USA)
202-543-1126 202-543-7755 (fax)
100 Maryland Avenue, N.E., Suite 410
Washington, DC 20002
eivory@ctr.pcusa.org