Honoring Our Nation's Past and Present

Jordan Williams, staff writer

When Rosa Parks recently passed away, her body laid rest in the United States Capitol rotunda, and she was the first woman to have this honor.

The rotunda of the United States Capitol, completed in 1824, has been considered the most suitable place for the nation to pay final tribute to its most eminent citizens by having their remains lie in state or in honor.

No law, written rule, or regulation specifies who may lie in state. Any person who has rendered distinguished service to the nation may lie in state if the family so wishes and Congress approves. In the case of the unknown soldiers, the president or the appropriate branch of the United States Armed Forces initiates the action. The casket is guarded at each of its four corners by servicemen, with each representing a branch of the military.

The very first person to receive this honor was statesman Henry Clay in 1852. Since 1852, 29 people have received this honor. Ten presidents, three five-star generals, one naval admiral, four unknown soldiers, two United States Capitol police officers who were killed in the line of duty, and numerous vice presidents, along with senators and members of Congress and the House of Representatives.

Out of all of these honored people, there has never been a female to lie in rest in the rotunda, until Parks. I find this fascinating. I do believe that she was a pioneer in the civil rights movement, and probably deserves this honor. But there never has been any other female who deserves this posthumous honor? What about Jeannette Rankin, who was the first woman to be elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1916? Or Hattie Wyatt Caraway, who became the first woman elected to the United States Senate in 1932. Both of these women had distinguished careers and were pioneers in the women's movement of the early 20th century.

In 1946, Maria Frances Cabrini was the first United States citizen to become a saint. In 1960, Oveta Culp Hobby was the first woman to receive the United States Army Distinguished Service Medal, and she also had an amazing career. What did these women lack in their lives and careers that Parks had accomplished?

When Parks refused to give up her bus seat to a white person, on Dec. 1, 1955, she started something that changed a nation. Due to her refusal, she sparked the civil right movement. Her direct involvement established the movement, and a man by the name of Martin Luther King Jr. emerged. Ironically, when King was assassinated in 1968, his body did not receive the honor that Parks received. Rankin and Caraway both changed the nation as well, and because of them, women have the rights that they have today. These powerful women stood up against strong men and proved to them that women were equals.

Among other women who definitely deserve the honor to lie in state is former Supreme Court justice Sandra Day O'Connor, former Secretary of State Madeline Albright, and current Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice. Although these women are alive today, they do deserve this honor.

I do not believe that it should have taken 181 years for a female to have her body lie in rest in the Capitol rotunda. There have been some extremely powerful and influential women in this country, throughout history, and I do believe that they should have had been acknowledged with this great honor. Hopefully, in the future, more women will be able to have the nation honor these heroes.