Post by bot on Dec 3, 2015 21:26:41 GMT -5
Hoyer Statement on Rosa Parks Day
and the Montgomery Bus Boycott
WASHINGTON, DC - House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (D-MD) released the following statement today on Rosa Parks Day, which is observed on December 1, and the sixtieth anniversary of the Montgomery Bus Boycott, which began on December 5, 1955:
“This week, I join in marking two important anniversaries that are milestones on our nation’s continuing march toward full equality for all. On December 1, 1955 – exactly sixty years ago today – Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama. On Rosa Parks Day, we honor her courage, which moved millions to recognize the injustice and bigotry around them and to take a stand. Her heroic action led to the Montgomery Bus Boycott, which began sixty years ago this Saturday and exemplified the determination of those who led and participated in the Civil Rights Movement to advance the cause of justice and to shape a future for America consistent with the values upon which our nation was founded.
“Sixty years later, there is much Congress can and must do to build on the legacy of the Civil Rights Movement and preserve the hard-earned victories of the brave men and women who risked their lives to end segregation, secure the right to vote, and promote equal opportunity. The first step ought to be passing legislation to restore the full protections of the Voting Rights Act, which was undermined by the Supreme Court in 2013. We must also take action to ensure that justice is truly blind in America and that it works for everyone equally. It is our responsibility to honor Rosa Parks and all who participated in the Montgomery Bus Boycott, who took the first bold steps toward a better future, by carrying forward their work and making it our own.”