The City of Gainesville and the Rosa Parks Quiet Courage Committee held the 3rd annual Day of Courage in honor of Rosa Parks Day.
Members of the Gainesville community gathered Friday at the Rosa Parks Transfer station to remember the courage Rosa Parks had when she refused to give up her seat in a Montgomery, Alabama, bus. Friday marked 68 years since Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat.
Organized by The City of Gainesville and the Rosa Parks Quiet Courage Committee, the 3rd annual “Day of Courage” had a theme. “Courage: Keep up the fight.”
Kali Blount, a member of the Rosa Parks Quiet Courage Committee, read a poem on freedom.
"Blessed are those who struggle, oppression is worse in the grave, better to die for a noble cause than to live and die enslaved."
During the ceremony, Rev. Milford Griner, the president and founder of the Rosa Parks Quiet Courage Committee, announced he would be stepping down. He says after 18 years of leading the committee he has learned how people are willing to come together to celebrate someone who stood up for justice.
“It was an effort of the whole community. People care about justice,” Rev. Griner said. “They did then, even more so now because of so much hate going on in the world and the nation.”
Rev. Griner said he hopes the committee continues to educate young people on the importance of having the courage to speak up against injustice, he said.
Gainesville Mayor Harvey Ward proclaimed Dec. 1, 2023, not only as "Rosa Parks Day" but also as "Reverend Milford L. Griner Day" in honor of his service and activism in the community.
Francine Julius Edwards, attendee of the event said young people need to keep learning about their past leaders.
“Mrs. Rosa Parks is important for all generations because they need to know who fought and died to make sure that they're able to register and to vote,” Edwards said.