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Who Is Claudette Colvin?
Claudette Colvin is a notable civil rights activist who, prior to Rosa Parks, made a significant stand against racial segregation by refusing to relinquish her bus seat to a white passenger. This act of defiance led to her arrest and subsequently made her one of four plaintiffs in the landmark case Browder v. Gayle, which resulted in the ruling that Montgomery’s segregated bus system was unconstitutional. Following her pivotal role in the civil rights movement, Colvin relocated to New York City, where she worked as a nurse’s aide until her retirement in 2004. Her contributions to the struggle for civil rights have paved the way for greater social justice and equality.
Early Life
Colvin was born on September 5, 1939, in Montgomery, Alabama. She grew up in one of the city’s impoverished neighborhoods, where she excelled academically, consistently earning As in her classes. Ambitious and determined, Colvin aspired to become president one day.
On March 2, 1955, while returning home from school on a city bus, Colvin was confronted by the bus driver, who demanded that she relinquish her seat to a white passenger. In a courageous act of defiance, she refused, asserting, “It’s my constitutional right to sit here as much as that lady. I paid my fare; it’s my constitutional right.” Colvin felt a profound sense of duty to uphold her rights. Reflecting on that pivotal moment, she later recounted, “I felt like Sojourner Truth was pushing down on one shoulder and Harriet Tubman was pushing down on the other—saying, ‘Sit down girl!’ I was glued to my seat,” as she expressed to Newsweek.
Arrested for Violating Segregation Laws
Following her refusal to relinquish her bus seat, Claudette Colvin was arrested on multiple charges, including the violation of the city’s segregation laws. She spent several hours in jail, consumed by fear. “I was really afraid because you just didn’t know what white people might do at that time,” Colvin later recalled. After her minister posted bail, Colvin returned home, where her family anxiously stayed up all night, worried about potential retaliation.
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) briefly considered utilizing Colvin’s case to challenge segregation laws but ultimately decided against it due to her young age. Compounding this decision was Colvin’s unplanned pregnancy, which they believed would draw excessive negative attention during a public legal battle. Colvin gave birth to her son, Raymond, in March 1956.
In court, Colvin declared herself not guilty in opposition to the segregation law. However, the court ruled against her, placing her on probation. Despite the relatively lenient sentence, Colvin faced significant societal repercussions. Labeled a troublemaker by some, she found it necessary to withdraw from college, and her tarnished reputation hindered her ability to secure employment.
Plaintiff in ‘Browder v. Gayle’
Despite these personal hardships, Colvin emerged as one of the four plaintiffs in the landmark case Browder v. Gayle, alongside Aurelia S. Browder, Susie McDonald, and Mary Louise Smith. Jeanatta Reese, initially named as a plaintiff, withdrew due to external pressures. The 1956 case, filed by attorneys Fred Gray and Charles D. Langford on behalf of these African American women, culminated in a ruling that deemed Montgomery’s segregated bus system unconstitutional.
Two years later, Colvin relocated to New York City, where she welcomed her second son, Randy, and began working as a nurse’s aide at a nursing home in Manhattan. She remained dedicated to her profession until her retirement in 2004.
Legacy and ‘Claudette Colvin Goes to Work’
Civil rights history in Montgomery has predominantly centered on the arrest of Rosa Parks, who famously refused to relinquish her bus seat nine months after Claudette Colvin’s own act of defiance. While Parks is celebrated as a civil rights heroine, Colvin’s significant contributions have largely gone unrecognized. Efforts to rectify this oversight have emerged, notably through the works of Rita Dove and Phillip Hoose. Dove’s poem, “Claudette Colvin Goes to Work,” later adapted into a song, sheds light on Colvin’s experience, while Hoose’s young adult biography, Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice, highlights her pivotal role in the movement.
Despite her lesser-known status, Colvin played a crucial role in advancing civil rights in Montgomery. Her former attorney, Fred Gray, articulated this sentiment, stating, “Claudette gave all of us moral courage. If she had not done what she did, I am not sure that we would have been able to mount the support for Mrs. Parks,” as he explained to Newsweek. Colvin’s bravery laid foundational support for subsequent actions in the struggle against segregation, underscoring the importance of acknowledging all figures in the civil rights movement.