Remembering Claudette Colvin: The Unsung Pioneer of Civil Rights

Claudette Colvin, a pivotal yet often overlooked figure in the civil rights movement, passed away at age 86. Arrested at 15 for refusing to yield her bus seat to a white woman, her 1955 act helped pave the way for the historic Browder v. Gayle lawsuit, ending segregation in public transit.

U.S. civil rights pioneer Claudette Colvin, who was arrested at just 15 years old for refusing to give up her bus seat to a white woman in Montgomery, Alabama, nine months before Rosa Parks, died at 86. Her early act of defiance played a crucial yet uncelebrated role in the civil rights movement.

Colvin's arrest in 1955 inspired Rosa Parks and laid the groundwork for the federal lawsuit Browder v. Gayle, which ultimately outlawed racial segregation on public transportation in the U.S. Despite her significant contribution, Colvin's story remained largely unrecognized for decades.

In the civil rights movement, Colvin's perseverance highlighted issues of social class and colorism, affecting her role as a movement's figurehead. Though she lived in obscurity, she was later acknowledged for her pivotal role, and her juvenile arrest record was expunged, underscoring her long-overdue recognition.

(With inputs from agencies.)