The Truth Staff
The Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority (TARTA) has joined the Toledo Lucas County Public Library and other local agencies and elected leaders during Black History Month to celebrate the legacy and contributions of Rosa Parks and to bring her story to families in the area.
During a press conference at the TARTA hub on N. Huron Street on Tuesday, February 4, TARTA leaders unveiled a mural by local artist Merce Culp that will grace the wall of the hub and also the side of a bus.
“This lady had been working diligently behind the scenes – but it took just that one thing … and that triggered everything that came after – the Civil Rights Movement,” said TARTA COO Charles Odimgbe as he led off the press conference. Referencing Rosa Parks decision to stay in her seat on that Montgomery bus and not give it when ordered to a white female passenger, as was required by Alabama state law, Odimgbe noted that it was a decision that set an example for others “to always, always do the right thing.”
Noting that Parks has been called “the first lady of the civil rights movement” TARTA CEO Laura Koprowski said that “that single decision to stand up for what was right sparked the Montgomery bus boycott.” That boycott lasted for over a year and eventually resulted n a federal court decision that bus segregation is unconstitutional under the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.
Also speaking at the press conference were Kendra Smith, president of the TARTA Bord of Trustees and Jason Kucsma, executive director of the Toledo Lucas County Public Library.
Smith noted that the leadership of TARTA has and will continue to seek ways “to expand and improve transit service.”
The mural of rosa Parks was created by local artist Merce Culp who described the experience as “one of my favorite projects.”
The Library is partnering with TARTA during February to bring an educational experience to Toledo area residents about Black History. This past Saturday, the Library hosted story time events, along with TARTA, at four branch libraries featuring local leaders. The leaders read from several books about Parks including I Am Rosa Parks by Rosa Parks.
Saturday’s readers were: Koprowski and WTVG’s James Starks at King Road Branch; NAACP Toledo Chapter President Darlene Sweeney-Newbern and State Senator Paula Hicks-Hudson at Heatherdowns Branch; State Rep. Elgin Rogers and TARTA Trustee Tiffany Preston Whitman at Mott Branch and State Rep. Erika White and TARTA Trustee Heather Baker at Holland Branch.