By Alabama Public Radio
Detroit, MI – In honor of the civil rights pioneer, flags in Tuskegee will fly at half-staff Tuesday. Parks was arrested for not giving up her bus seat to a white man nearly 50 years ago. Her arrest on December first, 1955 started the modern civil rights movement and started a 381-day bus boycott led by the Reverend Martin Luther King Junior. Tuskegee Mayor Johnny Ford says he will order flags in the town where Parks was born to be flown at half-staff until after her funeral. Montgomery Mayor Bobby Bright says Parks' death won't change plans for the city's 50-year celebration of the start of the bus boycott, but it's unfortunate that Parks won't see the festivities.