While Rosa Park’s effort certainly took courage her refusal to give up her seat was planned. She was considered more media palatable than a predecessor who spontaneously did the same months earlier. There were other women in previous years who did similar.
It’s fitting that Obama would honor her rather than these other courageous women who protested independently.
Yes, it was a planned event, but that doesn't mean it didn't take courage. After all, on the same day, there were hundreds of thousands of blacks who went to the back of the bus like they always did, and hundreds of thousands of whites who thought that's the way it should be.