Een ode van de Neville Brothers aan Rosa Parks, de zwarte vrouw die in 1955 weigerde haar zitplaats in een bus af te staan aan witte passagiers. De wet in Alabama schreef destijds voor dat zwarte mensen hun plaats af moesten staan aan witte mensen, als het voor hen gereserveerde deel van de bus vol raakte. Parks kreeg een boete, die ze weigerde te betalen. Daarop werd Parks gearresteerd en berecht voor verstoring van de openbare orde.
Martin Luther King organiseerde als reactie op de berechting van Rosa Parks de “Montgomery-busboycot” die zó succesvol was dat het busbedrijf zich gedwongen zag de scheiding van witte en zwarte mensen af te schaffen. Uiteindelijk belandde de zaak bij het Hooggerechtshof dat Parks in het gelijk stelde en de scheiding tussen zwart en wit ongrondwettig verklaarde.
December 1, 1955
Our freedom movement came alive
And because of Sister Rosa you know
We don’t ride on the back of the bus no more
Sister Rosa she was tired one day
After a hard day on her job
When all she wanted was a well deserved rest
Not a scene from an angry mob
A bus driver said, “Lady, you got to get up
‘Cause a white person wants that seat”
But Miss Rosa said, “No, not no more
I’m gonna sit here and rest my feet”
Thank you Miss Rosa, you are the spark
You started our freedom movement
Thank you Sister Rosa Parks
Thank you Miss Rosa, you are the spark
You started our freedom movement
Thank you Sister Rosa Parks
Now, the police came without fail
And took Sister Rosa off to jail
And 14 dollars was her fine
Brother Martin Luther King knew it was our time
The people of Montgomery sat down to talk
It was decided all God’s children should walk
Until segregation was brought to its knees
And we obtain freedom and equality, yeah
Thank you Miss Rosa, you are the spark
You started our freedom movement
Thank you Sister Rosa Parks
Thank you Miss Rosa, you are the spark
You started our freedom movement
Thank you Sister Rosa Parks
So we dedicate this song to thee
For being the symbol of our dignity
Thank you Sister Rosa
Thank you Miss Rosa, you are the spark
You started our freedom movement
Thank you Sister Rosa Parks
Thank you Miss Rosa, you are the spark
You started our freedom movement
Thank you Sister Rosa Parks
Thank you Miss Rosa, you are the spark
You started our freedom movement
Thank you Sister Rosa Parks
Thank you Miss Rosa, you are the spark
You started our freedom movement
Thank you Sister Rosa Parks
Thank you Miss Rosa, you are the spark
You started our freedom movement
Thank you Sister Rosa Parks
Uitgelichte afbeelding: Parks being fingerprinted by Lieutenant D.H. Lackey on February 22, 1956, when she was arrested again, along with 73 other people, after a grand jury indicted 113 African Americans for organizing the Montgomery bus boycott – By Associated Press; restored by Adam Cuerden – http://www.rmyauctions.com/lot-8002.aspx, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=81795628
