Detroit Institute of Arts to hold public screening of film on Rosa Parks' life
(CBS DETROIT) - When Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat to a white person on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama, it helped spark a historical movement that helped improve the lives of black people in this country.
But that was one only one chapter in her book of life filled with pages of her courageous activism.
"Her life before that bus incident was one of activism and certainly after that," said Anthony Smith, who is the Vice President of Learning and Audience Engagement at the Detroit Institute of Arts. "If nothing else, what people will see from this movie is that Rosa Parks, small and quiet as she was was a huge life."
The museum will be showcasing a film called "The Rebellious life of Mrs. Parks." It's a sold out public screening highlighting her life that included a stop in the Motor City.
"There were a lot of parallels to what she experienced down South in terms of inequalities and segregation. In her words, I don't see a lot of difference. And so, she was very active in protesting inequality in the city of Detroit," Smith said.
Smith said those who attend the screening will hear from the film's executive producer. There will also be a panel of guests to further explain Parks role in the civil rights movements well as more insight into her life.
He said learning more about Parks and other legendary African American figures brings us all closer together.
"The more that we learn about each segment of people or each race of people here in America, and the more that we share in learning about one another, we really do understand that people are just people."
The screening of the film "The Rebellious Life of Rosa Parks" will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday.