Tribute to a Black Indian woman

Rosa Parks born February 4, 1913.

"In the 1990's, Parks shocked black-nationalist lawyer Chokwe Lumumba when she told him that her hero was Malcolm X. Lumumba had assumed that her work and close personal relationship with King meant that he would be her personal inspiration. No, she clarified, she had certainly loved and admired King greatly, but Malcolm's... boldness and clarity, his affirmation of what needed to be done for black people, made him her champion. Parks saw no contradiction in her deep admiration for both King and Malcolm X. Describing Malcolm "as a very brilliant man."... "Full of conviction and pride in his race, "she noted, Malcolm X reminded Mrs. Parks of her own grandfather: "The way he stood up and voiced himself showed that he was a man to be respected."


- excerpt from The Rebellious Life of Rosa Parks, authored by Jeanne Theoharis

Does RACE MATTER in this case ?

Target Corporation wins lawsuit over ownership of name and image of Rosa Parks




The name of Rosa Parks is one that is known internationally and now the Target Corporation is making money off of it.. Parks famously was arrested for refusing to give up her bus seat to a White man in segregated Montgomery, Alabama.  This act of civil disobedience resulted in the Montgomery Bus Boycott, the rise of Dr. Martin L. King Jr.  and the start of the Civil Rights movement. There is no doubt that Rosa Parks is a historical figure and this is why Target Corporation launched a series of books, movies and plaques depicting her life.


The non-profit group the Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute for Self Development, which owns the image and likeness of Rosa Parks, objected to Target’s actions and filed a right of publicity lawsuit.  The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit issued a 15 page opinion that has ruled against the non-profit. At issue is a Michigan law that deals with the right of publicity versus the right of privacy. Since Parks lived in Michigan at the time of her death in 2005, the Michigan law applies.
In its ruling the court decided that Parks and the Civil Rights movement were “a matter of legitimate and important public interest.” Judge Robin Rosenbaum wrote for the court stating that Targets merchandise were “All bona fide works of nonfiction discussing Parks and her role… The institute has not articulated any argument as to why Michigan’s qualified privilege for matters of public concern would not apply to these works, in light of the conspicuous historical importance of Rosa Parks. Nor can we conceive of any. Michigan law does not make discussion of these topics of public concern contingent on paying a fee.” Judge Rosenbaum wrote for a panel that included Judge Julie Carnes and Senior Judge Joel Dubina.


The court determined that the First Amendment shields the Target Corporation against a legal action by the Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute for Self Development. This upheld a previous ruling by the US District Court for the Middle District of Alabama. Target will not have to pay the non-profit institute any royalty fees for the use of the image of Rosa Parks. By Mo Barnes  |  January 6, 2016




Rosa Parks picture held by actress Ella Joyce (2016)

 

Healing the World

Coretta Scott King

...."Women, if the soul of this nation is to be saved, I believe that you must become its soul. You must speak out against the evils of our time as you see them. Those of us women who have been blessed with the privilege of bearing children have the sacred task of rearing them with a knowledge and understanding of our democratic heritage and the eternal values of love, justice, mercy and peace. As women and mothers, we have a common concern for the happiness of our children and their families, to unite our efforts throughout the world." ~Coretta Scott King

Hot Lyke Fire seated within a car

..."“People always say that I didn't give up my seat because I was tired, but that isn't true. I was not tired physically, or no more tired than I usually was at the end of a working day. I was not old, although some people have an image of me as being old then. I was forty-two. No, the only tired I was, was tired of giving in.” ~ Rosa Parks




Rosa Parks seated on a bus
Creek & Black Indian

Nguzo Saba principle:
Ujima, Collective Work & Responsibility
 

Why fight?

Rosa Parks

Why did Rosa Parks stay in her seat that day?  The best answer comes in her own words: 

“People always say that I didn’t give up my seat because I was tired, but that isn’t true.  I was not tired physically, or no more tired than I usually was at the end of a working day.  I was not old, although some people have an image of me as being old then.  I was forty-two.  No, the only tired I was, was tired of giving in.” 

Excerpt from Parker J. Palmer’s book “The Courage to Teach.”

throughout our DNA

.... having lived in Africa this piece is reminiscent of a sense of being absent from African-American thinking, and existence.- Alowan Chanteh Inyan Wichasha 

AFRICAN WOMEN, the artÍlé Ásé Íyámí Ómí Tútú

A ROSE from  Telma Regina Garcia's gallery

"That deep story within roses lives within me. I pray and share it only in sacred stories." - Dawn Wolf

"The heart of American culture appears to be one thing in motion,
but the heart is not changed by law, or might." -Gregory E. Woods 

Rosa Parks - Pascal Obispo - ROSA