An upcoming auction at El-Balad’s Block Auction House will pay homage to Rosa Parks, a pivotal figure in the Civil Rights Movement. The event, named the “Important Rosa Parks Archive, Gibson Guitar & Estates” auction, will take place online on February 27. This sale features significant memorabilia from Parks’s life, including documents from her Congressional career.
Featured Items in the Auction
One highlight of the auction is the program for the NAACP Freedom Fund banquet, where Parks was the guest of honor in June 1984. It is estimated to sell for between $200 and $350.
- First Independence National Bank statement issued to Rosa Parks, 1976 – Estimate: $350-$650
- State of Michigan Notary Public commission certificate, 1973 – Estimate: $600-$900
- Handwritten note signed “R.P.” – Estimate: $700-$1,150
- Signed check dated 1980 – Estimate: $800-$1,200
- Two personalized letterhead sheets with her Detroit address – Estimate: $300-$500
Rosa Parks’ Legacy
Parks is renowned as “the mother of the Civil Rights Movement.” Her activism peaked during her arrest on December 1, 1955, when she refused to vacate her bus seat for a white passenger. Before this, she served as the secretary of the Montgomery NAACP and organized the Montgomery Bus Boycott against segregation.
Following the boycott, Parks faced significant backlash, which led her family to relocate to Detroit in 1957. She continued her activism in Michigan, working alongside Congressman John Conyers.
Importance of the Auction Timing
This auction coincides with Black History Month, which celebrates its 50th year of national recognition this February. The tradition, initiated by historian Carter G. Woodson in 1926 as “Negro History Week,” commemorates significant African American figures and events.
The items in this auction not only reflect Parks’s personal life but also her vital contributions to the Civil Rights Movement, making this event significant for collectors and history enthusiasts alike.
