Rosa Parks

Rosa Louise Parks (born February 4, 1913 as Rosa Louise McCauley) is a retired African-American seamstress and figure in the American Civil Rights Movement, most famous for her refusal in 1955 to give up a bus seat to a white man who was getting on the bus.

Lawsuit against OutKast

In 1999, Parks's lawyer sued hip hop band OutKast for using her name in the song "Rosa Parks" from the album Aquemini. The initial lawsuit was dismissed. Parks' caretakers hired lawyer Johnnie Cochran to appeal the decision in 2001, but this too was denied, on First Amendment grounds. In 2003, the Supreme Court allowed Parks' lawyers to proceed with her lawsuit against OutKast.

Related Topics:
1999 - Hip hop - OutKast - Aquemini - Johnnie Cochran - 2001 - First Amendment - 2003

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In 2004, the judge in the case appointed an impartial representative for Parks after her family expressed concerns that her caretakers and her lawyers were pursuing the case based on their own financial interest.

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"My auntie would never, ever go to this length to hurt some young artists trying to make it in the world," Parks' niece, Rhea McCauley, said in an Associated Press interview. "As a family, our fear is that during her last days Auntie Rosa will be surrounded by strangers trying to make money off of her name."

Related Topics:
Rhea McCauley - Associated Press

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OutKast was dismissed from the suit once and for all that August. Parks' attorneys and caretaker refiled and named BMG, Arista Records and LaFace Records as the defendants, asking for $5 billion in damages.

Related Topics:
August - BMG - Arista Records - LaFace Records

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The lawsuit was settled on April 15, 2005. In the settlement agreement, OutKast and their producers and record labels agreed to work with the Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute for Self Development in creating educational programs on the life of Rosa Parks. The record labels and OutKast did not have to admit any wrongdoing.

Related Topics:
April 15 - 2005

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