Seeking to pay homage to Rosa Parks by attending the civil rights pioneer’s funeral, Clarkston alum (?05) and first year Denison University student Courtney Herring helped organize a group of 22 students to travel to Detroit for the Nov. 2 public laying to rest.
‘Being at the funeral helped me to further appreciate what Rosa Parks had done on December 1, 1955, for all mankind. It helped me to appreciate the struggle of so many African Americans so that I might be able to do something that they could not do at the time: receive a high quality education from an institution like Denison University. It also made me examine myself and wonder what I could do in order to continue her visions and her legacy for civil rights. I will never forget it,? said Herring, in an e-mail correspondence.
Following Parks? death on Oct. 24, Herring and fellow first year student Donterio Porter were quick to start organizing the trip.
‘When we heard that her memorial service was going to be held in Detroit, we immediately began wondering if it were any way possible for us to be there ? to take part in history,? said Herring.
The pair coordinated a charter bus, met with administrators and found other students around campus who wanted to take part.
‘We literally had less than a week to plan this trip, but we were determined to do it,? said Herring.
Additionally, in her role as a student coordinator for the trip, Herring made phone calls to arrange hotel and food accommodations while seeking contributions from on-campus groups like the Black Student Union, Denison Campus Governance Association and the Student Activities Association.
To interrupt their studies as little as possible, the group from Denison arrived in Detroit on Nov. 1 at 9:30 p.m., then waited in line until 2:30 a.m. to view Parks? body in the Charles H. Wright Museum.
‘When we arrived that night to view the body of Rosa Parks, there were thousands of people lined up to do the same thing. I was thoroughly surprised. I’d never seen that many people in my life. Right then, I realized how much Rosa Parks had impacted every one of those lives in that line as well as all the other lives of the people who were unable to be there. She was truly a giant of a lady. While standing in those lines for hours at a time, I was able to experience a glimpse of what other African Americans had done not so long ago in order for me to have equal rights and to be treated like a human being. That experience, alone, was powerful,? Herring wrote.
The following morning, the group from Denison arrived at the Greater Grace Temple for Parks? funeral at 8 a.m. After waiting for three hours, they were able to enter the church. After the funeral, the students embarked on their return voyage to Denison ? in total the trip encompassed 400 miles on the road.
‘It was a very tight schedule, but I would not have changed a minute of it. It was well worth it. I wanted to attend the funeral not only to pay my respects to the Mother of the Civil Rights Movement, but to learn something,? said Herring. ‘This wasn’t a sad event ? it was the celebration of the life and the work of a very important woman who helped spark the Civil Rights Movement. I was in the same space as some very important individuals: former President Bill Clinton, Senator Hillary Clinton, Senator Barack Obama, Louis Farrakhan, Rev. Al Sharpton, Rev. Jesse Jackson, and a multitude of others. I was just grateful to be there.?
Herring is a communication major at Denison University.