Rosa Parks Day is an American observance to honor civil rights activist Rosa Parks, who was known for refusing to give up her seat on a bus.
Is Rosa Parks Day a Public Holiday?
This is not a public holiday. Government and public offices, businesses, and schools are not closed on this day but may hold special events and outreach programs to commemorate the annual observation.
The "Rosa Parks" bus is an historic symbol of the struggle for equality.
It is observed in California and Missouri on February 4 and Alabama, Ohio, and Oregon on December 1.
Celebrate Rosa Parks Day
Rosa Parks Day promotes equal opportunities, civil rights, and fairness across communities in the U.S. Church leaders, politicians, and organizational leaders unite in states like California and Ohio to promote the day with a range of events and activities.
Many schools have classroom activities that focus on Rosa Parks' struggles for equality and achievements against discrimination.
Public Life
Rosa Parks Day is an observance and not a public holiday in the U.S.
About Rosa Parks
On December 1, 1955, African American seamstress Rosa Parks was travelling in a Montgomery City bus when the bus driver asked her to vacate her seat for a white man. The driver's request was standard practice of racial segregation in buses at the time. Rosa Parks refused to leave her seat on the grounds of fairness, freedom and equality. As a result, she was arrested and convicted of violating the laws of segregation, known as the "Jim Crow" laws. She appealed her conviction and formally challenged the legality of segregation. At the same time, civil rights activists, including Martin Luther King Jr, boycotted the Montgomery bus system.
The boycott lasted for 381 days, into December 1956, when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the segregation law was unconstitutional and the Montgomery buses should be integrated. This boycott kick-started other civil rights protests throughout the U.S. Over the years, the Rosa Parks bus has become a symbol of the fight for equal rights. It has been fully restored and is now displayed in the Henry Ford Museum. Rosa Parks' Day, on February 4, is also known as the Day of Courage.
Rosa Parks Day Observances
Year
Weekday
Date
Name
Holiday Type
Area
2016
Thu
Feb 4
Rosa Parks Day
Local observance
California, Missouri
2016
Thu
Dec 1
Rosa Parks Day
Local observance
Ohio, Oregon
2017
Sat
Feb 4
Rosa Parks Day
Local observance
California, Missouri
2017
Fri
Dec 1
Rosa Parks Day
Local observance
Ohio, Oregon
2018
Sun
Feb 4
Rosa Parks Day
Local observance
California, Missouri
2018
Sat
Dec 1
Rosa Parks Day
State Observation
Alabama
2018
Sat
Dec 1
Rosa Parks Day
Local observance
Ohio, Oregon
2019
Mon
Feb 4
Rosa Parks Day
Local observance
California, Missouri
2019
Sun
Dec 1
Rosa Parks Day
State Observation
Alabama
2019
Sun
Dec 1
Rosa Parks Day
Local observance
Ohio, Oregon
2020
Tue
Feb 4
Rosa Parks Day
Local observance
California, Missouri
2020
Tue
Dec 1
Rosa Parks Day
Local observance
Ohio, Oregon
2020
Tue
Dec 1
Rosa Parks Day
State Observation
Alabama
2021
Thu
Feb 4
Rosa Parks Day
Local observance
California, Missouri
2021
Wed
Dec 1
Rosa Parks Day
Local observance
Ohio, Oregon
2021
Wed
Dec 1
Rosa Parks Day
State Observation
Alabama
2022
Fri
Feb 4
Rosa Parks Day
Local observance
California, Missouri
2022
Thu
Dec 1
Rosa Parks Day
Local observance
Ohio, Oregon
2022
Thu
Dec 1
Rosa Parks Day
State Observation
Alabama
2023
Sat
Feb 4
Rosa Parks Day
Local observance
California, Missouri
2023
Fri
Dec 1
Rosa Parks Day
Local observance
Ohio, Oregon
2023
Fri
Dec 1
Rosa Parks Day
State Observation
Alabama
2024
Sun
Feb 4
Rosa Parks Day
Local observance
California, Missouri
2024
Sun
Dec 1
Rosa Parks Day
Local observance
Ohio, Oregon
2024
Sun
Dec 1
Rosa Parks Day
State Observation
Alabama
2025
Tue
Feb 4
Rosa Parks Day
Local observance
California, Missouri
2025
Mon
Dec 1
Rosa Parks Day
Local observance
Ohio, Oregon
2025
Mon
Dec 1
Rosa Parks Day
State Observation
Alabama
2026
Wed
Feb 4
Rosa Parks Day
Local observance
California, Missouri
2026
Tue
Dec 1
Rosa Parks Day
State Observation
Alabama
2026
Tue
Dec 1
Rosa Parks Day
Local observance
Ohio, Oregon
While we diligently research and update our holiday dates, some of the information in the table above may be preliminary. If you find an error, please let us know.