Do you know the story of Claudette Colvin?

[Msputiton]

Before Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama, in 1955, there was a brave 15-year-old who chose not to sit at the back of the bus.

That young girl was Claudette Colvin. Touting her constitutional rights to remain seated near the middle of the vehicle, Colvin challenged the driver and was subsequently arrested.

She was the first woman to be detained for her resistance.

However, her story isn't nearly as well-known as Rosa Parks's,

At the age of just 15 years old, she understood the constitution more than the police officers who arrested her.

[Anonymous]

From wikipedia:

Parks was not the first person to resist bus segregation, but the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) believed that she was the best candidate for seeing through a court challenge after her arrest for civil disobedience in violating Alabama segregation laws

So it would seem that the person on the bus is actually not much to do with anything, the driving force was the NAACP, that was the muscle or the financing etc behind the law suit which got the ball over the line, it could have been centred around any person.

Now I have heard of Rosa Parks but I hadn't heard of Claudette or the NAACP, the take away from this is that while individual courage and action is important (well known and often spoken of) organised resistance is also important (never spoken about, presumably because of it efficacy.)

Mouthy 15 year olds causing problems on buses just get arrested, people with connections to or with the backing of organised political organisations change history.

[Msputiton]

I read more on the story. During the civil rights beginnings they wanted to pick people who white people would be able to connect to.
Rosa parks had in their words "better hair, was prettier, and lighter skin", and they felt white people would relate to her more.
It was very tricky at this time, to convince white people to think black people were "worthy of having rights" so they had to pick who was the faces of the movement

[humanearth]

Never heard of her

But we also were never taught how USA performed genocide on Native American Indians either during the Indian wars.

Thats why people were killing the Buffalo, to starve them. Buffalo was their main food source

[Msputiton]

Very true.
It is sad how that story was spinned.
And such a horrible thing.
Sacagewa is another sad thing.
She thought she was helping to find a path to the pacific ocean. She sacrificed and helped push them.
America turned around and used the trail she created to track down and murder her entire tribe.

[littlemissasks]

Oh woah.. I didn’t know that. Thanks for sharing. Do you happen to have any idea why they would run with Rosa’s story as opposed to the 15 year olds? One would think that would be just as impactful if not more.

[Msputiton]

I read more on the story. During the civil rights beginnings they wanted to pick people who white people would be able to connect to.
Rosa parks had in their words "better hair, was prettier, and lighter skin", and they felt white people would relate to her more.
It was very tricky at this time, to convince white people to think black people were "worthy of having rights" so they had to pick who was the faces of the movement

[littlemissasks]

Good grief. Thank you for the update with extra info. Great knowledge to know! Thanks sistah

[Msputiton]

🥰🥰🥰

[littlemissasks]

Thank you for MHO 🥰

[KittyKat90210]

Nope, unfortunately I had never heard about her. She sounds like a really impressive woman. We need more people like her to stand up to injustice.

[Wish4UrB00ty]

I have not heard of her but she sounds pretty amazing! 15 is impressive to do something so bold.

[Msputiton]

Agree

[Wish4UrB00ty]

So how did you hear about her?

[Msputiton]

I research history. I believe history is huge to knowing what not to do

[Wish4UrB00ty]

Well said girl!! That is the best way!

[Sixgunsound]

Many police don't understand the constitution. All understand qualified immunity though.

[Msputiton]

Agree

[exitseven]

I wonder why she did not get the notoriety that Rosa Parks did?

[Msputiton]

Martin luther king learned about what happened, and rosa parks inspired him.
He brought attention to her actions.
He didn't know about what happened to claudette colvin

[exitseven]

okay= I never heard of her.

[Msputiton]

Yeah, and i would assume back then they way people thought, they probably didn't want to give anyone ideas so they kept it quiet.
Which probably would've happened if not for Martin luther king with rosa parks

[exitseven]

@msputiton Yes they really did change people's attitudes.

[Guffrus]

@exitseven

From wikipedia:

Parks was not the first person to resist bus segregation, but the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) believed that she was the best candidate for seeing through a court challenge after her arrest for civil disobedience in violating Alabama segregation laws

So it would seem that the person on the bus is actually not much to do with anything, the driving force was the NAACP, that was the muscle or the financing etc behind the law suit which got the ball over the line, it could have been centred around any person.

Now I have heard of Rosa Parks but I hadn't heard of Claudette or the NAACP, the take away from this is that while individual courage and action is important (well known and often spoken of) organised resistance is also important (never spoken about, presumably because of it efficacy.)

Mouthy 15 year olds causing problems on buses just get arrested, people with connections to or with the backing of organised political organisations change history.

[Jennz6]

I have heard about it, but I didn’t know her name.

[Emiliamazing]

Thank you for sharing!

[Msputiton]

🥰🥰🥰

[TrillXHippy]

I didn’t know anything about it but thanks for sharing

[AngryCarl2]

I did not know that. What happened to her?

[Msputiton]

She grew up to become a nurse and a civil rights activist.
She is still alive at 83yrs old

[AngryCarl2]

awesome

[Fuentes]

Fighting the power lol they can't stop us

[Msputiton]

Amen. Our strength comes from the pioneers before us, and we honor them with our accomplishments