Claudette Colvin, who refused to move seats on a bus at start of civil rights movement, dies
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MONTGOMERY, Ala. - Claudette Colvin, whose 1955 arrest for refusing to give up her seat on a segregated Montgomery bus helped spark the modern civil rights movement, has died. She was 86 years old.
Her death was confirmed on Tuesday by the Claudette Colvin Legacy Foundation.
Claudette Colvin dies at 86
What they're saying:
Ashley D. Roseboro of the organization confirmed she died of natural causes in Texas.
Claudette Colvin, Civil Rights Activist speaks onstage during the 2020 Embrace Ambition Summit by the Tory Burch Foundation at Jazz at Lincoln Center on March 05, 2020 in New York City. (Credit: Craig Barritt/Getty Images for Tory Burch Foundation)
"It is with profound sadness that the Claudette Colvin Foundation and family announce the passing of Claudette Colvin, a beloved mother, grandmother, and civil rights pioneer. She leaves behind a legacy of courage that helped change the course of American history," the organization wrote.
The foundation added: "To us, she was more than a historical figure. She was the heart of our family, wise, resilient, and grounded in faith. We will remember her laughter, her sharp wit, and her unwavering belief in justice and human dignity."
Claudette Colvin’s legacy
The backstory:
Colvin, at age 15, was arrested nine months before Rosa Parks gained international fame for also refusing to give up her seat on a segregated bus.
On March 2, 1955, a bus driver called police to complain that two Black girls were sitting near two white girls in violation of segregation laws. One of the Black girls moved toward the rear when asked, a police report said, but Colvin refused and was arrested.
At the time of Colvin's arrest, there was mounting frustration over how Black people were treated on the city bus system. The arrest of Parks, who was a local NAACP officer, on Dec. 1, 1955, became the final catalyst for the yearlong Montgomery Bus Boycott.
Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed said Colvin's action "helped lay the legal and moral foundation for the movement that would change America."
Colvin was never as well-known as Parks, and Reed said her bravery "was too often overlooked."
"Claudette Colvin’s life reminds us that movements are built not only by those whose names are most familiar, but by those whose courage comes early, quietly, and at great personal cost," Reed said. "Her legacy challenges us to tell the full truth of our history and to honor every voice that helped bend the arc toward justice."
The boycott propelled the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. into the national limelight and is considered the start of the modern civil rights movement.
Colvin became a named plaintiff in the landmark lawsuit that outlawed racial segregation on Montgomery’s buses.
"My mindset was on freedom," Colvin said in 2021 of her refusal to give up her seat.
"So I was not going to move that day," she said. "I told them that history had me glued to the seat."
Editor's Note: A correction was made to correct Claudette Colvin's year of arrest to 1955.
The Source: This story was reported from Los Angeles. The Associated Press contributed.