Councilmembers and Metro Transit's Darwin Campbell with the sign that will be on the first row of the front-facing seats of all Metro buses for the month of November

The Metropolitan King County Council today unanimously approved a motion honoring Rosa Parks’ life and her role in the struggle for civil rights, and asked the County Executive to place a message in all Metro Transit buses dedicating the front seat in her honor for the month of November. Ms. Parks’ refusal to leave her seat on a Montgomery, Alabama bus sparked a new era in the civil rights movement. Ms. Parks passed away last week.

“Ms. Parks is gone, but her act of defiance on a public bus changed all of our lives –- for bus riders and BMW commuters alike,” said Councilmember Dwight Pelz, the prime sponsor of the motion. “It is appropriate that we honor her on the buses owned & operated by Martin Luther King, Jr. County. A new generation of bus riders will see a reminder of how a simple act can change the world.”

“Ms. Parks was small in stature, but her legacy casts a large shadow,” said Councilmember Larry Gossett. “It is fitting that here—in the county named for the young Baptist minister, Martin Luther King, Jr., who helped organize the bus boycott that grew out her arrest—that we honor her legacy, an act of courage and conscience that help bring an end to American Apartheid.”

The motion passed by the Council requests the Executive post a notice on all Metro Transit buses dedicating the front seat in Parks’ memory. The memorial would run through the month of November and end on December 1st, the 50th anniversary of the date of Parks’ refusal to give up her seat to a white passenger.

A black sticker to be affixed to the headrest of one of the front forward-facing seats on each Metro bus will read: “Seat Dedication in Honor of Rosa Parks, 1913-2005.” In addition, an inside advertising card will be inserted above the front seats with an image of Parks riding the bus and the words, “Rosa Parks, A Quest for Human Dignity. A Quiet Act of Courage,” followed by her quote: “Memories of our lives, of our works and our deeds will continue in others. – Rosa Parks 1913-2005”


“With Rosa Parks’ passing, it is important to remember and recognize that the stand she took by staying seated provided freedom for all Americans,” said Council Chair Larry Phillips. “She was a true hero with the strength of character to take on a seemingly insurmountable force. Ms. Parks’ courage should not just be relegated to the history books; we must keep her legacy alive in our hearts and minds.”

“Very few actions in history have had such a widespread effect," stated Councilmember Jane Hague. “Ms. Parks' action that day demonstrates the power of one person to change society. Her simple yet courageous stand against discrimination called an entire country into moral accountability - an example we can all learn from and admire.”

“Ms. Parks' courage made historical and social changes,” said Councilmember Kathy Lambert. “Her life and legacy has truly made a difference for all mankind.”

The stickers and inside car cards will begin to be installed in all 1400 Metro Transit coaches beginning this week, with work to be completed by next week, according to Darwin Campbell, Metro’s Sales and Customer Services Manager, who briefed the Council.