She will always have a special place in American history, and our nation thinks of Rosa Parks and her loved ones today.... Fifty years ago in Montgomery, Ala., this humble seamstress stood up to injustice by refusing a bus driver's order that she give up her seat for a white man. Her show of defiance was an act of personal courage that moved millions, including a young preacher named Martin Luther King. — President George W. Bush

[Selected from Yahoo!]

Rosa Parks was a woman of great courage, grace and dignity. Her refusal to be treated as a second class citizen on a Montgomery bus in 1955 struck a blow to racial segregation and sparked a movement that broke the back of Jim Crow. ... She was an inspiration to me and to all who work for the day when we will be one America. May God bless her soul and may she rest in peace. — William Jefferson Clinton

I truly believe that there's a little bit of Rosa Parks in all Americans who have the courage to say enough is enough and stand up for what they believe in. She did such a small thing, but it was so courageous for her as a humble person to do. — Rep. Charles Rangel

The nation lost a courageous woman and a true American hero. A half century ago, Rosa Parks stood up not only for herself, but for generations upon generations of Americans. Her quiet fight for equality sounded the bells of freedom for millions. — Sen. Edward Kennedy

Rosa Parks has shown the awesome power of right over might in history's long journey for peace and freedom. — Rev. Jesse Jackson

I remember her as an almost saint-like person. And I use that term with care. She was very humble, she was soft-spoken, but inside she had a determination that was quite fierce. — Rep. John Conyers

[Selected from the Associated Press]

Rosa Parks was a genuine American hero. Through her courage and by her example, she helped lay the foundation for a country that could begin to live up to its creed. Just as important, she reminded each and every one of us of our personal responsibilities to stand up for what is right and the central truth of the American experience that our greatness as a nation derives from seemingly ordinary people doing extraordinary things. We will all miss her cherished spirit but know that her legacy lives on in the heart of the nation. — Rep. Barack Obama

[Selected from WBBM-TV]