Saint Paul - Governor Tim Pawlenty today ordered that all U.S. and Minnesota flags be flown at half-staff at the Minnesota State Capitol, and all public buildings and grounds from sunrise until sunset on Wednesday, November 2, 2005, in honor and remembrance of Rosa Parks.

The following is the text of the Governor's official proclamation:

Whereas:          Rosa Lee Parks (nee McCauley) was born on February 4, 1913 in Tuskegee, Alabama, and died on October 24, 2005 in Detroit, Michigan; and

Whereas:          Both Rosa and her husband Raymond Parks were dedicated to various civil rights causes, such as voter registration.  Rosa worked for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Youth Council and in 1943 was elected to serve as the secretary of the Montgomery, Alabama branch; and

Whereas:          While she was always active in the fight for civil rights, Rosa Parks did not become a prominent figure in the movement until December 1, 1955, when after a long day of work as a seamstress she refused to relinquish her seat to a white passenger on a racially segregated Montgomery bus; and

Whereas:          Her defiance led to her arrest which triggered a 381-day boycott of the Montgomery bus system by African Americans. The boycott, which was organized by the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr., led to a court ruling desegregating public transportation in Montgomery; and

Whereas:          Rosa Parks was considered the "mother of the civil rights movement" by many and continued to fight for racial equality throughout her life.  Even into her 80s, she was active on the lecture circuit, speaking at civil rights groups and accepting awards, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1996 and the Congressional Gold Medal in 1999; and

Whereas:          Rosa Parks played a critical role in the civil rights movement and will be remembered throughout history for her courage and dedication to equality.

Now, Therefore, I, Tim Pawlenty, Governor of Minnesota, join President George W. Bush, and do hereby order all U.S. and Minnesota flags be flown at half-staff at the Minnesota State Capitol, and all public buildings and grounds from sunrise until sunset on Wednesday, November 2, 2005, in honor and remembrance of Rosa Parks.