President Obama Pays Tribute To Rosa Parks In Michigan

By Chuck Sudo in News on Apr 19, 2012 6:12PM

Official White House photo by Pete Souza

President Barack Obama, in Michigan yesterday for campaign fundraisers, posed for this photograph aboard the historic bus where the civil rights icon refused to give up her seat to a white passenger and move to the back of the bus. The bus is on display at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Mich.

The photo, by White House photographer Pete Souza, was sent out via Twitter by White House director of new media Macon Phillips.

The photo itself serves as a powerful statement linking the early struggles of African Americans like Parks—who died in 2005 at the age of 92—to the country's first black president. Obama said of the photo op:

"I just sat in there for a moment and pondered the courage and tenacity that is part of our very recent history, but is also part of that long line of folks who sometimes are nameless, oftentimes didn't make the history books, but who constantly insisted on their dignity, their share of the American dream."

The fundraiser at the Ford Museum was attended by 600 people paying $250 a pop for the privilege of hob-nobbing with Obama.