Pennsylvania Governor Rendell Orders State Flags to be Flown at Half Staff to Honor Rosa Parks

HARRISBURG, PA, (NAMC) - Governor Edward G. Rendell today issued the following statement after he ordered Pennsylvania state flags be lowered and flown at half staff to honor civil rights leader and activist Rosa Parks.

"Through a simple act of courage, Rosa Parks became an American icon.  Her refusal to give up her seat on a Montgomery, Alabama bus to a white man on Dec. 1, 1955, helped fuel a revolution in American race relations and made our country a better place.  Mrs. Parks' action displayed a tremendous commitment to the cause of racial equality that she had championed as an early activist in the civil rights movement.  Her legacy proves that ordinary people who have the courage of their convictions can accomplish extraordinary things.  Rosa Parks should be a role model for all of us."

The Rendell Administration is committed to creating a first-rate public education system, protecting our most vulnerable citizens and continuing economic investment to support our communities and businesses.  To find out more about Governor Rendell's initiatives and to sign up for his weekly newsletter, visit his Web site at: http://www.governor.state.pa.us.

Contact:
Chuck Ardo
717-783-1116