Feb. 11—Laketran and Geauga Transit, in partnership with the NAACP of Lake County, have continued honoring the life and legacy of Rosa Parks, the civil rights icon who sparked the Montgomery bus boycott, by reserving a front seat on its transit vehicles.

Born on Feb. 4, 1913, in Tuskegee, Alabama, Parks became a symbol of resistance and civil disobedience when she defiantly refused to surrender her seat to a white passenger on a segregated city bus in 1955.

Referred to as the “Mother of the Modern-Day Civil Rights Movement,” Parks’ subsequent arrest ignited the year-plus-long protest campaign.

“The fundamental principles of equality and access are at the core of Laketran’s mission and public transportation as a whole,” said Laketran CEO Ben Capelle. “Rosa Parks, like many today in Lake County, relied on the bus for essential activities.”

In commemoration of Parks, and aligning with Black History Month, special signs (reading: “Reserved in honor of Rosa Parks. It all started on a bus. We honor the courage of Rosa Parks and her vision for equal access for all.”) adorned seats on each vehicle.

Pam Morse, president of the NAACP of Lake County, also encouraged individuals to participate.

“The tribute provides an opportunity to reflect on our history and celebrate the progress we’ve made as a country,” she said.

One such individual was Cleveland resident and U.S. Army veteran Dennis Fields, who regularly catches a transfer to his job as a shipping lead at PCC Airfoils on Tyler Boulevard in Mentor.

“This is also another great promotion they (Laketran) do, in addition to Veterans Day,” he said. “And it’s nice for the agency to acknowledge the rich history of African Americans in this country and the sacrifices they had to make just to ride the bus, so I really appreciate what they’re doing.”

As part of the commemoration, the NAACP of Lake County offered free “All-Day” bus passes during the tribute.