Civil rights champion Rosa Parks died at the age of 92 on Monday, sparking reaction from people across the world who paid tribute to the courageous figure.

|PIC1|"She was a heroine in our midst – one who taught our nation about courage and determination," said the National Council of Churches in a statement released on Tuesday. "She will truly be missed."

The late Parks launched what many historians date as the beginning of the civil rights movement in the United States when the black seamstress refused to give up her bus seat to a white passenger on Dec. 1, 1955.

The following night, leaders of the African American community, headed by the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., gathered to discuss the proper actions to be taken as a result of Parks’ arrest.

What ensued next was a 382-day boycott by blacks against Montgomery's bus system that concluded with the Supreme Court decision to outlaw racial segregation on public transportation.

Beyond the law, Park's small but courageous act of defiance shed light on the civil rights cause, bringing it to the world's attention.

"Although her physical life has ended, her work lives on even as we continue to fight for justice and equality in this nation," stated the NCC.

President George W. Bush called her "one of the most inspiring women of the 20th century."

|TOP|In 1999, Parks was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal – the highest award bestowed by the U.S. government – as the civil rights pioneer.

The source behind her bold act that changed the course of American history was revealed in her book Quiet Strength. It was her belief in God that emboldened her to do what she did in the bus.

"Since I have always been a strong believer in God," she says, "I knew that He was with me, and only He could get me through that next step."

"She was a powerful witness to all of us who believe that one person can make a difference and she will forever be remembered for her quiet resolve," stated the NCC. "We hope that America will one day fully honour her sacrifice by ending poverty and racial disparities, having adequate and affordable housing and health care, and making sure that workers are paid a living wage for their labour.

"We will forever be grateful for the gift of her life and the legacy she leaves us all to hold fast to our beliefs."







Audrey Barrick
Christian Today Correspondent