Ed Dwight's sculpture of Rosa Parks, a memorial to the "Mother of the Civiil Rights Movement," stands in front of the park that bears her name. An unusual feature of this statue is that Mrs. Parks, famous for her refusal to give up her seat to a white man in 1955 alabama, is depicted standing up. The sculptor, who is famous for his works depicting African American history around the country, told the Grand Rapids Press that he wanted Mrs. Parks to be remembered in a triumphant pose - adding a quote from Dr. Martin Luther King "If your'e standing straignt a man can't ride your back."
You can see several other sculptures depicting African American history by Ed Dwight, including two memorials to the underground railroad - both in Battle Creek and Detroit.
