Rosa Parks Day highlights anti-racist struggle in South

By Catherine Donaghy
Springfield, Mass.

Rosa Parks

A standing-room-only crowd heard Ramsey Clark, former U.S. attorney general and founder of the International Action Center, give a keynote speech at the sixth annual Rosa Parks Day observance held at Springfield Technical Community College in Springfield, Mass.

Clark recounted the struggles to reverse the racial segregation laws in the South and to desegregate public schools, universities and private businesses. He gave accounts of the extremely violent reaction to these efforts.

In response to a question from the audience, Clark emphasized the need for unity and vigorous organizing to counter the problems faced today, including heightened U.S. militarism and anti-Muslim bias. He received a prolonged standing ovation after the Freedom Choir, an African-American choral group, led the audience in several verses of the Civil Rights anthem, “We Shall Overcome.” The choir opened the program with their rendition of “Eyes on the Prize.”

The STCC Mobilization Against Poverty, Racism and War, a student group, co-sponsored the event, which was moderated by Dr. Arlene Rodriguez, the college’s first Latina dean. Clark was introduced to the largely youthful African-American audience by Professor Nicholas Camerota, co-chairperson of Springfield’s Rosa Parks Day Organizing Committee.

The Dec. 1 event was covered by all three local television stations, and Mr. Clark was interviewed by other media outlets, including WAMC Northeast Public Radio.