Claudette Colvin, whose 1955 arrest for refusing to give up her seat on a segregated Montgomery bus helped lay the groundwork for the modern civil rights movement, has died at 86, according to the Claudette Colvin Legacy Foundation.
Defiance Before Rosa Parks
Colvin was just 15 when she was arrested on March 2, 1955 — nine months before Rosa Parks’ historic stand. She refused to move for a white passenger, later saying she felt “history had me glued to the seat.”
A Lasting Legal Impact
Colvin became one of four plaintiffs in the landmark lawsuit that ended bus segregation in Montgomery. Her courage helped set the stage for the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the rise of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.
A Legacy Long Overlooked
Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed said Colvin’s bravery was “too often overlooked,” but emphasized her role in shaping the movement. In 2021, Colvin successfully petitioned to have her juvenile record expunged, saying she hoped it would inspire future generations.
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