(RNS) The African Methodist Episcopal Church is creating a separate nonprofit in hopes of acquiring the personal archive of civil rights icon Rosa Parks.

Parks, whose refusal to give up her seat to a white bus rider in 1955 helped spark the civil rights movement, was a lifelong member of the historically black denomination. After her 2005 death, her belongings were placed in the hands of Guernsey’s, a prominent New York auction house, which is collecting bids for the archive.

Bishop Carolyn Tyler Guidry, president of the AME Church’s Council of Bishops, declined to reveal the amount of the church’s bid, but said the auction house could receive it soon. The new nonprofit will seek funds from foundations and others outside the denomination in addition to donations from members.

The proceeds of the sale of the collection could total $10 million and will be divided between a Detroit institute named for Parks and family members.

“The reason that we’ve made the step is because of the connection between the AME Church and Rosa Parks,” Guidry said in an interview. “One part of her life that never got really published was her great love for the AME Church and the fact that she thought that (church founder) Richard Allen’s legacy had inspired her to community service.”

The archive includes Parks’ collection of church bulletins, on which she noted sermon titles, as well as a white stewardess dress and black stewardess hat that she wore when she prepared Communion at her Detroit church.

Guernsey’s president Arlan Ettinger could not give any specific comment on the AME Church, or other interested parties.

“Were they to be in the running and were they to get it, (the collection) certainly would find a fine home there, but that’s not to say that the same wouldn’t be true with one of the other organizations,” he said. “They are all wonderful groups.”