1. Claudette Colvin: A civil rights activist
Jassib Perez

2. Backround-
Claudette Colvin was born on September 5, 1939 in Montgomery, Alabama. Claudette Colvin is often overshadowed by her widely acknowledged and older counter part, Rosa Parks. On March 2, when Claudette was 15, she refused to give up her seat to a white woman sparking the Montgomery bus boycott. She also took part in Browder vs Gayle which later decided segregation in busses was unconstitutional.

3. Activism
On March 2, 1955 roughly about 8-9 months before Rosa Parks, Colvin pioneered civil rights activism by refusing to give her seat up for a white woman ; she described her experience in an interview by stating, “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” Using two iconic female activists to enhance her point/ reasoning behind defying the law. She was later arrested for violating segregation laws and on several more charges.

4. Picking the Boycott icon
While Rosa Parks did defy segregation laws in the bus and is the person we so often link with the Montgomery bus boycotts; that is not the case. The case is that everyone doesn't seem to remember or even mention Claudette Colvin this is primarily due to the fact that she was pregnant with a married man’s baby and that would make her and her cause look bad. Due to this the NAACP decided Rosa Parks would fit the perfect description as Rosa was more calm, sophisticated and older/ mature.

5. Role in Browder vs Gayle
Colvin was one of the four main individuals involved in the Browder vs Gayle case.( others being Aurelia S. Browder, Susie McDonald and Mary Louise Smith). The court decided in 1956 that segregation in busses was unconstitutional .

6. Lasting impact/ Legacy
While Claudette is not widely recognized for her civil rights activism, she added to the civil rights movement and was a main reason why the bus boycotts took place. Many people have tried to make her more recognizable by writing poems, books , and memoirs.