HomeMy WebLinkAboutRES NO 008-02RESOLUTION NO. 008-0 2
A RESOLUTION SUPPORTING ASSEMBLY
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 136
(FLOREZ) CONCERNING THE ROSA PARKS
HIGHWAY.
WHEREAS, Rosa Parks was born on February 4, 1913, in Tuskegee, Alabama, the
first child of James and Leona (Edwards) McCauley; and
WHEREAS, Rosa Louise McCauley married Raymond Parks on December 18, 1932;
and
WHEREAS, Rosa Parks was arrested on December 1, 1955, in Montgomery,
Alabama, for refusing to give up her seat on a bus to a white man, and her stand for equal
rights became legandary; and
WHEREAS, Rosa Parks' arrest for refusing to comply with Montgomery's segregation
law was the impetus for a boycott of Montgomery buses, led by Dr. Martin Luther King, J r., by
approximately 42,000 African Americans for 381 days; and
WHEREAS, on November 13, 1956, the United States Supreme Court ruled that
Montgomery's segregation law was unconstitutional, and on December 20, 1956,
Montgomery officials were ordered to desegregate buses; and
WHEREAS, Rosa Parks is honored as the "Mother of the Modern Day Civil Rights
Movement," because her refusal to surrender her seat in compliance with Montgomery's
segregation law inspired the civil rights movement, which has resulted in the breakdown of
numerous legal barriers and the lessening of profound discrimination against African
Americans in this country; and
WHEREAS, the courage and conviction of Rosa Parks laid the foundation for equal
rights for all Americans and for the Civil Rights Act of 1964; and
WHEREAS, Rosa Parks is the recipient of many awards including the Presidential
Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor, the Congressional Gold Medal of
Honor, the highest honor Congress can bestow upon a civilian, and the first International
Freedom Conductor^ward from the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, among
many other awards and honors; and
WHEREAS, the California Legislature is considering designating State Highway
Route 58 between State Highway Route 99 and State Highway Route 184 as the Rosa Parks
Highway, in tribute of Ms. Rosa Parks, who helped ignite the Civil Rights Movement; ~.,a~,'~,~,~
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WHEREAS, portions of State Highway Route 58 are located in and run through the
City of Bakersfield, California; and
WHEREAS, the City of Bakersfield desires to also pay tribute to Rosa Parks for her
dedication to the cause of human rights and the American Civil Rights Movement.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Council of the City of Bakersfield
as follows:
1,
That the Bakersfield City Council supports Assembly Concurrent Resolution No.
136 (Florez) in its current form and urges its passage by the California
Legislature and Governor.
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I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing Resolution was passed and adopted by the
Council ofthe Cityof Bakersfield at a regular meeting thereof held on JAN P. 3 700~
, by the following vote:
Ayes: Council member Carson, Benham, Maggard, Couch, Hanson, Sullivan, Salvaggio
Noes: Council member
Abstain: Council member
Absent: Council member
CITY CLERK ANb EX C~I:~:ICIO of the
Council of the City of Bakersfield
APPROVED:
By:
J~ 23 2002
HARVEY L. HALL
Mayor
APPROVED ASTO FORM:
BARTJ. THILTGEN
City A~orney
~VIR(~INIA GENNAR(;Y~
Deputy City Attorney
VG:alj
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