Presented by the CCAC and The Rudolph Girls Bookstore

Join H. H. Leonards as she discusses her new book, Rosa Parks Beyond the Bus: Life, Lessons, and Leadership, a collection of inspiring and instructive memories compiled from the decade that Parks was a guest in Leonards’s Washington, D.C. home. During those years, Leonards was able to know the heart, mind, and spirit of the woman who refused to give up her seat on a Montgomery, Alabama city bus on December 1, 1955. She shares her remembrances of Parks in a way that offers readers an intimate and personal glimpse into her personhood. Rosa Parks’s story, as told through the eyes of Leonards, also touches on the journey of African-American women who have somehow managed to survive a system that cared little about the indignities they suffered―from discrimination to sexual assault. While many of her contemporaries attempted to define her as the woman who refused to give up her seat on the bus, she was more than the sum of one pivotal decision. She was decidedly multi-dimensional. The book is a personal look into Parks’ life, her thoughts, her beliefs, and her immense wisdom that moved people to seek and revere her presence.

H.H. Leonards is a wife, mother of three, and founder of O Museum in The Mansion in Washington, D.C., a museum and event space dedicated to fostering diversity and creativity. Rosa Parks lived with Leonards as part of The Mansion and O Museum’s Heroes-In-Residence Program. Throughout her professional career Mrs. Leonards has focused on making it economically feasible for corporations to leverage their philanthropic contributions for their benefit — and the benefit of society. She has tirelessly worked to encourage companies and individuals to translate their personal visions into a mission of service. As a consultant to Ogilvy & Mather, she helped them create cause-related marketing for their clients. A staunch advocate of social justice through music and storytelling, she is also co-founder of 51StepsToFreedom.org, a non-profit organization that is developing a city wide trail that traces America’s struggle for equality and freedom. 

Each ticket includes a copy of the book! Leonards will be signing books after the Q&A discussion.