Fifteen Fighting for Freedom

Jade Henry
FWIS Youth Writer

As a 15-year-old black girl, I am intrigued by the courage and story of Mrs. Claudette Colvin!  I find it appropriate this February to give light to the woman who was my age when she refused to give up her seat.  Although I am a fortunate car rider, I try to imagine what my life would be like riding the bus to Wayne High School and not being able to sit down like my white friends.  I often think of how I would respond at my age to such injustice.  This brings me to my question; do you know Mrs. Claudette Colvin?

Mrs. Claudette Colvin was the young girl who was brave and courageous before Mrs. Rosa Parks.  Mrs. Colvin at 15 was seated in the "colored" section of the bus on March 22, 1955, in Montgomery, Alabama. Black passengers rode buses daily to and from places, and sometimes white passengers asked black passengers to get up when they got on.  On this particular Tuesday in 1955, 9 months prior to us hearing the story of Mrs. Parks, Mrs. Colvin was ordered to give up her seat to a white woman and she refused! WHAT COURAGE!

Mrs. Colvin said it was her constitutional right and she paid her fare to ride the bus that day.  No one was going to ask her to get up!  She was learning about black history in school and was encouraged to stand up for what she believed in. She was escorted off the bus in handcuffs and her schoolbooks went flying everywhere.  She went to jail, not liACJC, but she went to an adult jail.  I cannot imagine her fear!  Her mom came to the jail and a pastor (Reverend Johnson) who bailed her out.  Her mom and Reverend Johnson were proud of her, for what she did and how she stood up.  Some adults had not had that kind of courage.

Nine months later, we would hear of Mrs. Rosa Parks.  I am convinced the contagiousness of Mrs. Colvin sparked a movement!  In the words of our forever First Lady, Michelle Obama, “History has shown us that courage can be contagious, and hope can take on a life of its own.” What are you courageous about? At fifteen, I can say that I’m grateful for Mrs. Colvin and the movement that she started!