The power of Rosa Parks’ legacy has always rested in the quiet strength of her defiance and the lasting ripple of her belief that one act of courage can ignite generations. Forty-five years after she and Detroit partners founded the Rosa Parks Scholarship Foundation, that ripple is still transforming lives — one student, one scholarship, one dream at a time.
Since 1980, the foundation has awarded more than $3 million in scholarships to over 1,600 Michigan high school seniors. Each recipient carries a story of resilience, young people who refused to let financial barriers define their potential. In an era where college tuition has far outpaced inflation, these scholarships have been a lifeline, especially for students from Detroit and communities across the state where the cost of higher education can determine a family’s future.
The foundation’s president, Jim Rosenfeld, says this mission remains as urgent as ever. Each scholarship, he notes, celebrates not only academic excellence but the values Rosa Parks embodied: courage, leadership, and service.
“Funds raised at our upcoming event will help us continue our mission, supporting the next generation of scholars as they pursue their dreams in college and beyond,” he said…