Remembering Rosa Parks: Bhusaya Dasa remembers ‘mother of the civil rights movement'

krsna · October 31, 2005

Bhusaya Dasa remembers the ‘mother of the civil rights movement’.

As the world mourns the passing Rosa Parks, devotees of Krishna in Detroit are reflecting on the gentle soul who would often dine at their Govinda's Restaurant.

Back in the 1980s and 1990s Mrs Parks could often be found with a few close friends at the corner table next to the leaded glass doors. She especially liked that table because a dancing peacock would often show up outside the door to the delight of her party.

Although her courageous action of refusing to give up her seat on a bus to a white man in 1955 powerfully changed the social fabric of America forever, Rosa Parks stood out as a very humble and graceful lady, never taking credit for herself, but always giving credit to God.

One day, after dining in Govinda's, my wife, Lekhasravanti Dasi, and I took Mrs Parks’s party onto the balcony of the Temple Room to view our beautiful deities. The visitors were all very respectful and spoke of the serenity and joy of the experience.

After this, Lekhasravanti and Mrs Parks spoke about the civil rights struggles. My wife's father, Walter Reuther, had been instrumental in the fight for civil rights and was known as Martin Luther King Jr's most influential white supporter. Walter Reuther marched hand-in-hand with King in civil-rights marches, and gave a rousing speech urging equality just before King delivered his famous ‘I Have A Dream’ speech in 1963.

What struck me most about Mrs Parks was her understanding that she was only being used as an instrument of God. Perhaps it was the Temple atmosphere, but all she spoke about was the greatness of God. Her voice was soft, almost a whisper, and her eyes smiled beautifully.

At first it was amazing to me that such a small and gentle woman could have had such a huge and lasting impact on the world, but when I witnessed her absorption in glorifying God I understood where her potency was coming from.