NORFOLK, Va. — Hampton Roads is celebrating Transit Equity Day by offering free bus rides on all routes on Monday.
This initiative not only provides accessibility to public transportation but also honors the legacy of civil rights icon Rosa Parks, whose courageous actions sparked a pivotal movement for equality.
Eighty-year-old Dr. Patricia Turner has a personal connection to this day. Dr. Turner was one of the Norfolk 17, a group of brave students who integrated Norfolk Public Schools in 1959. Reflecting on her past, she shared the challenges she faced as a teenager, and how they thrusted her into the historic wave of integration.
Watch related coverage: Celebrating Resilience: the legacy of Hampton University’s nursing program
“I had never experienced teenage years like that,” Dr. Turner recalled.
Despite the hardships of bullying and hostility, she expressed a deep sense of gratitude for her role in history.
"It still hurts in my heart, but yet I'm overjoyed that God chose me to be the one to integrate 8th grade at Norview Middle School alone" Dr. Turner said.
The struggle for integration was significant in Virginia. In 1958, state officials closed all public schools instead of allowing them to integrate. A court decision reversed that order, allowing Dr. Turner and 16 other Black students to attend all-white schools.
Watch related coverage: Newport News-born Tuskegee Airman dies at 100
Dr. Turner remembers the close bond formed among the Norfolk 17.
"We became a family because that’s all we had was each other," she said.
However, her first day at Norview High School was very turbulent. Norfolk police had to be called in to provide protection against angry mobs.
“They spit on me, it was a horrible experience, but a needed experience" Dr. Turner said, acknowledging the pain of those memories while embracing the strength they forged in her.
Dr. Turner draws inspiration from Rosa Parks, noting the widespread impact of the Montgomery Bus Boycott.
“It’s amazing to me how someone became the first on something that should have never been a problem,” she said, recognizing the ongoing challenges in the fight for equality.
Watch related coverage: 'Portals' community exhibition depicts Black history across Richmond, Virginia
The significance of Transit Equity Day resonates strongly for Dr. Turner and others advocating for civil rights. Throughout Hampton Roads, each bus features a reserved front seat with a sign honoring Parks’ commitment to justice.
“It is very important that the history continues on and does not backtrack,” Dr. Turner emphasized, underscoring the critical need for continual progress in the journey toward equality.
For residents of Norfolk and beyond, Transit Equity Day serves as a reminder of the sacrifices made by pioneers like Dr. Turner and Rosa Parks, while also promoting the crucial issue of accessibility in public transportation.
