Civil Rights activist Rosa Parks' family home will be offered at auction in the New York City, reported The Guardian. The work of art has already travelled across the Atlantic Ocean twice. Parks sought refuge here after fleeing the south.
The tiny wood-framed house which belonged to Rosa Parks' family is marked with peeling paint. The house will carry with itself items linked to African-American history and culture. As per estimations, it may fetch seven figures at the auctions.
The house where Rosa Parks sought refuge after fleeing the South will be offered at auction after being turned into a work of art and shipped across the Atlantic Ocean twice.https://t.co/6AANY2zBv2 pic.twitter.com/JkA5LmbaRj
— Philadelphia Tribune (@PhillyTrib) June 15, 2018
Who was Rosa Parks?
Rosa Louise McCauley Parks was born on 4 February 1913 in Alabama, United States and was a prominent civil rights activist. Parks is known for her role in the initiation of Montgomery Bus Boycott.
She protested against racial discrimination and refused to stand up to give space to a white woman on a Montgomery bus. The Boycott is said to be one of the largest mass movements against racial segregation in the history of the country.
She moved to Detroit in 1957, two years after this movement started.
Read Also : On Her 104th Birthday: 10 Quotes By Rosa Parks About Her Struggle
The Journey of the House
Initially, Parks’ brother abandoned the house and it was set up for demolition in Detroit. Later Parks’ niece, Rhea McCauley, purchased it for $500. She then donated it to Ryan Mendoza, an American artist to preserve Parks' legacy. The artist shipped it to Berlin and reassembled it in his yard.
Earlier, the house was brought back to the US as a temporary exhibit in Rhode Island, while the search for a permanent home was on as the structure was too delicate to be built more than once.
How will it be transported?
While talking to The Guardian Mendoza said that the house will be transported back from Rhode Island in two shipping containers to a storage area in Massachusetts.
“It’s a wonderful way to present the house again to the American people. Let them decide what this house is worth. I hope it ends up in the hands of somebody who loves Rosa Parks. I hope it will be on public display,” he added.
Guernsey’s Auctioneers have been given the responsibility to auction the house. They had also handled the sale of Parks’ personal archives after she died in 2005.
Furthermore, a part of the sum raised will go to a foundation set up by Rhea McCauley to help preserve her aunt Rosa's legacy.
Picture Credit: history.com
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Kriti Dwivedi is an intern with SheThePeople.Tv