Today, Congressman Jesse L. Jackson, Jr. issued the following statement:

"Today, we remember the actions of Rosa Parks, who 55 years ago sat down in the front of a Montgomery bus and stood up for the right of all Americans to be treated equally and justly. That act of civil disobedience - carefully calculated to spur action and change - forever altered the course of American history and sparked the Civil Rights Movement that made our country a better place for everyone.

"In 2005, I sponsored a bill that authorized a statue of Mrs. Parks to be placed in Statuary Hall, in the U.S. Capitol Building. I'm looking forward to the day when that statue is placed alongside other great Americans to serve as a reminder of Mrs. Parks' living legacy for generations to come."