WASHINGTON (AP) — Claudette Colvin, the civil rights icon whose 1955 arrest for refusing to relinquish her seat on a segregated Montgomery bus became a significant catalyst for the civil rights movement, has passed away at the age of 86. This news was confirmed by the Claudette Colvin Legacy Foundation on Tuesday. Ashley D. Roseboro, representing the organization, stated that Colvin died in Texas.
Colvin's courageous stand occurred months prior to Rosa Parks's more widely recognized protest. On March 2, 1955, at just 15 years old, Colvin and other Black girls were confronted by a bus driver who alerted police about their seat arrangement near white passengers, which violated segregation laws. While another girl complied and moved to the rear, Colvin remained determined, leading to her arrest.
Despite her young age, Colvin became a significant figure in the fight for civil rights, serving as a named plaintiff in the historical lawsuit that ultimately abolished racial segregation on Montgomery's buses, paving the way for future generations in the pursuit of equality.}
Colvin's courageous stand occurred months prior to Rosa Parks's more widely recognized protest. On March 2, 1955, at just 15 years old, Colvin and other Black girls were confronted by a bus driver who alerted police about their seat arrangement near white passengers, which violated segregation laws. While another girl complied and moved to the rear, Colvin remained determined, leading to her arrest.
Despite her young age, Colvin became a significant figure in the fight for civil rights, serving as a named plaintiff in the historical lawsuit that ultimately abolished racial segregation on Montgomery's buses, paving the way for future generations in the pursuit of equality.}
