DEARBORN, Mich. (WXYZ) (WXYZ) — Thousands of visitors flocked to The Henry Ford museum in Dearborn on Monday to commemorate the 70th anniversary of Rosa Parks' historic act of defiance that sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott.
The museum offered free admission to honor the civil rights icon, drawing nearly 2,000 people who came to see the actual bus where Parks refused to give up her seat to a white passenger on Dec. 1, 1955.
Watch Evan Sery's video report below:
"It made me want to cry a little bit, cause this is Black history," said Alijah Cheatham, a first-time visitor to the museum.
Cheatham was most excited to touch and be inside the Rosa Parks bus during his visit.
"Most people don't get to see this is the actual bus where she sat and got arrested in 1955, most people don't know... we wouldn't be here if it wasn't for her," Cheatham said.
The free admission day was unusual for the museum, which typically charges visitors and sees about 2,500 people on average weekend days during this time of year.
"It is very rare for us to actually have a free admission day," said Cynthia Jones, director of museum experiences, engagements and exhibitions at The Henry Ford.
Jones said the decision to waive admission fees for this milestone anniversary was obvious.
"We know the people who lived this history, that lived the Civil Rights Movement and we don't want that history to be lost, their stories to be lost," Jones said.
Dr. Brenda McGadney, a frequent visitor to The Henry Ford, praised the museum's decision to prioritize education over revenue.
"So proud of this museum that's made a decision that on this day, rather than bringing in money to the museum, they're bringing in people to the museum," McGadney said.
McGadney said seeing the bus never gets old and revealed she once saw Parks in person but chose to respect her privacy rather than approach her.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you," McGadney said when asked what she would've said to Parks.
On this special day, visitors were not allowed to sit in Parks' seat. Instead, the seat was occupied by a portrait of the late civil rights icon and a bouquet of roses.
For Cheatham, the visit held special significance as a new father to a 2-month-old son.
"I want to teach him history, who sat here before us, the presidents, more specifically Rosa Parks, the lady that did not get off the bus," Cheatham said.
—————
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
