Houston’s Rosa park’s tribute backfires as critics call it ‘disrespectful’ and ‘tone deaf’

Transit authority acknowledges debate about tribute following Transit Equity Day

Rosa Parks and a Houston Metro seat cover honouring the civil rights leader (HoustonMetro)

The main transport authority for Houston, Texas, has been criticised for a tribute to Rosa Parks that some said was “disrespectful” and “a slap in the face”.

The tribute came in the form of a yellow seat cover with the words “Dedicated to the Memory of Rosa Parks”, and was unveiled by Houston’s Metro last week.

“This is no tribute it’s ignorance and a slap (in the) face towards Rosa Parks and African Americans,” one Twitter user commented. “To simply reduce her fight to a yellow seat. CRT (Critical Race Theory) is obviously needed in Texas.”

Another wrote that Houston’s Metro had been disrespectful because “The money, time and effort to minimise WHY she was ‘courageous’ with a symbolic gesture instead of using that same money, time and effort to actually do something.”

“The message isn’t clear and is tone deaf for a city in a state that is actively against black advancement,” the Twitter user added.

Although the tweets were widely applauded, many also took to defend Houston’s Metro for honouring Rosa Parks and Transit Equity Day, which falls annually in February.

The day sees many transportation authorities across the United States honour Parks, who in 1955 famously challenged racial segregation laws “by refusing to give up her seat on a Montgomery, Alabama bus.”

The Houston Metro added in a press release about the yellow seat cover: “Starting this week, METRO will install a commemorative seat at the front of transit vehicles dedicated to Parks’ act of courage”.

“Her arrest galvanised the Montgomery Bus Boycott, and led to the United States Supreme Court decision that declared segregation on buses unconstitutional.”

In a statement following the criticism, the transportation authority told the Houston Chronicle that “METRO embarked on this initiative after one of our customers saw a similar tribute to Rosa Parks on a San Antonio VIA bus and asked if we would consider doing something similar.”

“We respect the fact that this gesture has sparked an important conversation on social media about social and economic opportunities for all.”

A fan of the tribute commented on Twitter: “How can this seat at the front of the bus honouring Rosa Parks, be considered disrespectful by anyone? Only if someone sat on the seat! It’s like she’s sitting there instead of being made to go to the back of the bus! That’s a way to acknowledge its OK for her to sit at the front!”

The Independent has approached Houston’s Metro for comment.