DPS students to pay tribute to Rosa Parks on the day of her funeral

Tuesday, November 1, 2005

Detroit Public Schools students will honor the memory of Civil Rights legend Rosa Parks with a variety of activities on the day of her funeral, Wednesday, November 2, 2005.

At 11 a.m. on that day, the same time her funeral service commences at Greater Grace Temple, students in all of the District’s 220 schools will observe a moment of silence in honor of Parks.

In addition, teachers and administrators at the various schools have been directed to block off some time between 9 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. to do a variety of activities with the students in memory of Parks. These activities include: having students in English Language Arts classes write poetry or tributes in honor of Parks or letters to the family; instructing students in art classes to develop materials like sympathy cards and collages; and facilitating discussions for students in social studies classes about the events surrounding the Montgomery bus boycotts and the Civil Rights Movement.

Some high school students also plan to honor Parks by gathering briefly in front of bus stops near their school buildings during her funeral.