New Rosa Parks postage stamp

February is Black History Month, and a civil rights pioneer would be celebrating her 100th birthday today if she were still with us.

Many people credit Rosa Parks with starting the civil rights movement in 1955.

Her refusal to give up her seat on a bus to a white passenger led to a widespread bus boycott.

The U.S. Postal Service has introduced a forever stamp today in her honor.

Postmaster Pat Frye of the Ishpeming Post Office says they always have collectors interested in newly-released stamps, and he says they showed up with interest in the Rosa Parks stamp as well.

The Postal Service also raised the price of a first-class stamp last week by a penny.

Many people used to buy penny stamps when the postal rate changed, but Frye says demand for penny stamps has dried up since forever stamps were introduced in 2007.

Several months ago, the Postal Service asked for permission to raise the postage rate by a nickel to 50 cents, but Congress would not allow that.