Rosa Parks: A Legacy For Sale – Rare Artifacts to be Auctioned
An extraordinary auction event hosted by Block Auction House in Ferndale, Michigan, promises a poignant tribute to Rosa Parks, a pivotal figure in the American Civil Rights Movement. The “Important Rosa Parks Archive, Gibson Guitar & Estates” auction, scheduled for February 27th, will be held online and features a remarkable collection of ephemera from the Rosa Parks Congressional Career Archive.
The Mother of the Civil Rights Movement
Often hailed as “the mother of the Civil Rights Movement in America,” Rosa Parks’s courageous act of defiance on December 1, 1955, ignited a national movement. Her refusal to relinquish her seat to a white passenger on a Montgomery, Alabama bus, led to her arrest and sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott, a watershed moment in the fight against segregation. However, her activism extended far beyond that single, iconic event.
Beyond the Bus: A Life of Activism
Before her famous bus ride, Rosa Parks served as secretary of the Montgomery, Alabama NAACP, actively organizing against racial injustice. Following the boycott, facing job loss and death threats, she and her family relocated to Detroit, Michigan, in 1957. There, she continued her tireless work with the NAACP and later served as a staff member for U.S. Congressman John Conyers.
What’s Up for Auction?
The auction offers a unique glimpse into both Rosa Parks’s professional and personal life. Several lots originate from her time working with Congressman Conyers, including four U.S. House of Representatives Statements of Earnings issued between 1968 and 1980. A State of Michigan Notary Public Commission Certificate from 1973 is estimated to sell for $600-$900.
Personal items include a handwritten note signed “R.P.” (estimated value $700-$1,150), a signed check from 1980 accompanied by a medical device receipt ($800-$1,200), personalized letterhead sheets featuring her Detroit address ($300-$500), and a 1976 statement from First Independence National Bank ($350-$650). The bank statement is particularly significant as First Independence National Bank was a vital African-American-owned financial institution.
Timing and Significance
The timing of the auction, coinciding with the end of Black History Month – celebrating its 50th year of national recognition – adds to its importance. The tradition of recognizing Black history dates back a century, to 1926, when historian Carter G. Woodson established “Negro History Week,” strategically timed to include the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. This year’s celebrations mark a century of honoring Black history and the contributions of figures like Rosa Parks.
Learn more about the Civil Rights Movement: History.com – Civil Rights Movement
All images courtesy of Block Auction House/Live Auctioneers
