13th Annual Ohio Statewide Tribute to Rosa Parks: Dec. 4 and 5
The Central Ohio Transit Authority, The Ohio State University and Rosa Parks Day Founder, Congresswoman Joyce Beatty, present Ohio’s 13th Annual Statewide Tribute to Rosa Parks, “The Power of One,” Dec. 4 and 5 at the Fawcett Event Center, 2400 Olentangy River Rd., and the Davidson Theatre at the Vern Riffe Center, 77 S. High St.
The Tribute will begin with a Community Leaders Forum hosted by Congresswoman Joyce Beatty on Monday, Dec. 4, 5:30 p.m. at the Fawcett Event Center, followed by “Conversations,” the Panel Discussion, which will take place at 7 p.m. in the Fawcett Event Center auditorium.
The Panel Discussion is titled, “The Power of One: We Are Walking In It.” Guests will hear a riveting discussion on how the legacy of Rosa Parks has impacted and continues to shape the country. The Panel will feature Congresswoman Joyce Beatty, U.S. Representative for Ohio’s 3rd congressional district; Jeanne Theoharis, Author of The Rebellious Life of Rosa Parks; and Brenda Jackson Drake, attorney and former foundation executive. The Panel Discussion will be moderated by Jerry Revish, WBNS-10TV News Anchor, and WOSU-TV will record the Panel Discussion to be included in their Columbus Collaborative Series. WBNS-10TV will live stream the panel discussion on 10TV.com.
On Tues., Dec. 5, 11 a.m., the Rosa Parks Children’s Assembly will be held at the Vern Riffe Center’s Davidson Theatre and feature Columbus Children’s Theatre’s production of “The Ruby Bridges Story,” a play by William Goldsmith. Jerry Revish will serve as Master of Ceremonies. More than 500 students will be on-site from Clinton Elementary School, Columbus School for Girls, and Hamilton Local Elementary. WBNS-10TV will live stream the assembly on 10TV.com.
Ohio was the first state to designate Dec. 1 as Rosa Parks Day to honor her life and legacy as the Mother of the Modern Civil Rights Movement. In 2005, then-state representative, and now Congresswoman Joyce Beatty wrote, advocated and won unanimous support to pass Ohio’s legislation in the 50th-anniversary year of Parks’ courageous act. In refusing to give up her seat on a Montgomery, Alabama bus to a white passenger, she sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the modern civil rights movement.
