Today we honor Claudette Colvin, a woman arrested for not giving up her seat on a Montgomery City Bus, before Rosa Parks and the bus boycott began. Mrs. Colvin was very nearly the face of the boycott. When she was dragged off a bus and charged with assault, tensions in the city were already high and activist organizations had been developing plans to initiate a boycott. Her courage at such a young age inspired the community and the news of her arrest spread through the city like wildfire.
Mrs. Colvin, a pious, straight “A” student, was just 15 when she made up her mind not to give up her seat. She was arrested, dragged off the bus, and charged with assaulting an officer. On her way to jail, she was sexually harassed by the officers driving her. She was tried under state charges, and found guilty. Due to concerns for her safety, the boycott was postponed. Nonetheless, Mrs. Colvin was included in the case against the City of Montgomery, along with Aurelia Browder, Mary Louise Smith Ware, and Susie McDonald.
They had all been arrested for refusing to give their bus seats to white people, and they knew that this action violated their constitutional rights under the 14th Amendment. These women told their stories in open court, showing the discriminatory and unconstitutional practices of segregation in Montgomery.
After the city of Montgomery appealed the initial decision which came down in favor of the women, the case ended up going all the way to the Supreme Court, where the ruling was upheld. The decision in this case ruled that the city and state laws segregating the public transportation system were unconstitutional, and overruled them.
Mrs. Colvin was an ordinary citizen thrust into a powerful movement that asked much of her. When called to step into dangerous, uncertain circumstances, she rose to meet the occasion. Her willingness to stand up for herself and her rights, and her ability to testify in court contributed to the success of the boycott and the civil rights movement. Mrs. Colvin’s courage, voice, and story made a difference, even if you may not have been aware of her name. We honor her contributions and her portrait hangs in our virtual plus office at Mariposa Law Offices.
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