Named after Rosa Parks who in 1955, Alabama, USA, invigorated the struggle for racial equality by famously refusing to give up her seat in the ‘coloreds’ section of the bus for a white person after the ‘whites only’ section at the front became full.

This launched the Montgomery Bus Boycott by 17,000 black citizens. A Supreme Court ruling and declining revenues forced the city to desegregate its buses thirteen months later.

Even thoiugh she lost her job and received many death threats she remained an active member of the NAACP and worked to help the homeless find housing.

The United States Congress has honored her as "the first lady of civil rights" and "the mother of the freedom movement".