Claudette Colvin, Who Refused to Give Her Bus Seat to a White Woman, Dies at 86
The New York Times • • general
Key Points:
- Claudette Colvin, who at age 15 refused to give up her seat to a white woman on a segregated Montgomery bus in 1955, died at age 86 in Texas; her act of resistance preceded and was overshadowed by Rosa Parks' similar protest later that year.
- Colvin's refusal became a pivotal moment in the civil rights movement, leading her to become a key witness in a landmark anti-segregation lawsuit upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court.
- On March 2, 1955, Colvin challenged the bus segregation laws that required Black riders to sit at the back and give up seats to white passengers, highlighting the racial injustices of the era.
- Despite the significance of her actions,
