She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom

On September 9, 1996, Rosa Parks was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Bill Clinton. Although the connection between Rosa Parks and a President is weak, this is the highest distinction conferred by the United States Government on a citizen

Originally, the Medal of Freedom was given to military members and those participating in battle. It evolved into an award that acknowledged an act that contributed to the security of the United States, and in 1963, it was elevated to the highest honor for people who contribute "to the quality of American life."

Rosa Parks, a black seamstress, disobeyed a municipal segregation policy on December 1, 1955, by refusing to give up her seat on a city bus to a white man in Montgomery, Alabama. She was supposed to relocate to the rear of the car. Her efforts provoked a bus boycott, one of the highlights of the civil rights struggle, which finally resulted in public transit integration. Furthermore, her acts sparked a wave of protest that eventually resulted in the repeal of numerous segregation laws throughout the South.