Celebrating Rosa Parks and More!
February 1, 2023
This year – SEPTA celebrates Black History Month with an employee-driven initiative that will recognize African American inventors and their contributions in the transportation industry - despite the many challenges they faced.
To kick off this month of festivities - SEPTA commemorated activist Rosa Parks and Claudette Colvin in a celebration held at SEPTA Headquarters with keynote speakers Leslie S. Richards, SEPTA CEO and General Manager and Emmanuella Myrthil, SEPTA’S new Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer.
February 4 – marks what would have been Rosa Parks' 110th birthday. To recognize her legacy and courage – the Authority will honor the civil rights icon and activist with a customized cutout of Ms. Parks adorned with roses that will be displayed on the front seat of a Route 33 bus. A duplicate cutout will also be on display on trolley routes 11, 13, 34 and 36 throughout the month of February beginning February 2.
SEPTA also acknowledged Claudette Colvin – an advocate for equality who became a civil rights pioneer during the 1950’s civil rights movement, when, at the age of just 15, she refused to give up her seat to a white woman on a crowded, segregated bus in Montgomery, Alabama, and was subsequently arrested. This incident occurred nine months before the more widely known incident involving Rosa Parks – which helped spark the 1955 Montgomery bus boycott. “Like Ms. Parks’ act – her seemingly small act of rebellion of refusing to give up her seat was instrumental in helping to set off a movement that continues today in the fight against discrimination – not only in the United States but also throughout the world,” said Leslie S. Richards.
In addition to the cut outs, there was a surprise reveal of a hand-crafted sculpture of Rosa Parks done by retired employee Bruce Fritz. This sculpture will be on display for the public at SEPTA Headquarters in front of the Transit SEPTA Store.
“As we move through this month in the Spirit of Be Inclusive – let us think of all the ways we can include different perspectives into our sphere. Let us be deliberate about including people who are often denied,” says Emmanuella Myrthil. “Let us consider how we can embody different ways of being and responding to each other—open-minded, empathetic, kind – ways that encourage inclusion.”
If you’re in search of more ways to celebrate Black History and those who fought for what was fair – check out these Black History Month happenings and the best ways to get there on SEPTA!
