STONE MOUNTAIN— U.S. Postal officials today unveiled the Rosa Parks commemorative postage stamp at City Hall. The historic city of Stone Mountain was one of several places around the country to pay tribute to the late civil rights icon, a woman who, in 1955, bravely refused to give up her bus seat to a white man. Her civil disobedience led to the integration of public buses in Montgomery, AL.

The city of Stone Mountain was selected because of its own unique history in America’s struggle with segregation.

“Growing up in this area, I used to hear the old folks talk about how Stone Mountain was a place a black man wouldn’t want to be caught in after dark. Look how far Stone Mountain has come,” said Stone Mountain Postmaster Craig W. Eberhart. “From a city that hosted some of the largest KKK rallies to a city that is now a diverse community honoring a civil rights legend is a full circle experience to me. I’m proud and honored to be a part of this program today.”

Today’s unveiling included an a cappella solo performance of Sam Cooke’s “A Change is Gonna’ Come” by the Rev. McKenzie C. Wynn; a rendition of Martin Luther King’s “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop,” by the Champion School Drama Club of Stone Mountain; and remarks from DeKalb County Commissioners Stan Watson and Sharon Barnes-Sutton.

Hear the rendition of King's speech, here.

The Rosa Parks stamp, based on a 1950s portrait of Parks, is part of the Postal Service’s “Forever” series. Forever stamps never lose their value as a first class stamp even if the price increases.

Rosa Parks received the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Gold Medal. When she died in 2005 she became the first woman and the second African-American to lie in state in the U.S. Capitol rotunda in Washington, D.C.