Changes Had to be Made
Most people have heard about Rosa Parks who refused to give up her seat on the bus in December of 1955. This instant in history later became one of the first successful steps in African-Americans attaining their rights and changing the segregation laws. However, what most people are unaware of is nine months prior to Rosa Parks refusing to give up her seat on the bus, a fifteen year old girl by the name of Claudette Colvin did the same thing in the same town of Montgomery, Alabama (Hoose 2001). For some reason, however, Colvin’s refusal to get up seemed to be forgotten until Rosa Parks came along.
Young Colvin was a very brave young woman. Once Claudette Colvin was old enough to realize how unfairly she was treated because of the color of her skin, she hated segregation. One of the first instances when she realized she was treated differently than whites came when she was nine or ten. Her sister and her wanted to go to a rodeo. Sadly the only rodeo they got was being able to wear cowboy boots and hats that their father had bought for them. The actual rodeo show was only for white people. Little Colvin hated racism and most of all, she hated segregation (Levine, 1993). On March 2, 1955, young Claudette Colvin boarded a Highland Gardens bus, which strangely was also the same bus system that Rosa Parks was on when she got arrested nine months later. Since there were no white people when she got on, Colvin took a seat in the middle section of the bus. The bus began to fill up as more and more white people were boarding the bus. Colvin knew she was supposed to get up and move to the back, but she was tired of having to give her seat up for a white person. The bus driver yelled at her, but she refused to give up her seat. Colvin said, “I knew I had to take a stand sometime” (Hoose, 2001). The police were called, but Colvin still remained in her seat. When asked by the police if she was going to get up, she replied, “I do not have to get up. I paid my fare. It’s my constitutional right!” (Hoose, 2001). After repeating herself several times and not moving, the police knocked her books out of her hands, grabbed her wrists and dragged her off the bus. She was being arrested for not giving her seat up. Not only did the policemen arrest her, they also insulted her all the way to City Hall calling her all kinds of inappropriate names (Levine, 1993). Colvin was charged with violating the law, disorderly conduct, and assaulting two police officers. She was forced to pay a fine for her charges and was then placed on probation (Hoose, 2001). These were very unfair charges.
Although more and more strong black leaders were looking for brave African-Americans to stand up for their rights, Colvin’s case was ignored. Some were still too afraid to speak up and stand up for themselves. When Colvin realized her case had been overlooked, she was upset. She felt that they did not want her as a role model because she came from a poorer family (Hoose, 2001). However, before Rosa Parks was arrested, Claudette Colvin met with her and a few other people a few times. Some people were ready to stand up for what they believed in. It felt like only a matter of time before everyone would be ready (Levine, 1993). By the time Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat, most African-Americans were ready to do something about these cruel and unjust laws. They started boycotting the city buses. Even children and high school students were passing out flyers asking people to not ride the buses. Around the same time as the Montgomery Bus Boycott, Fred Grey, a lawyer, was suing the city for their unconstitutional laws. Grey was looking for brave African-Americans who would share their stories of mistreatment in court. Along with only four other people, Claudette Colvin agreed to testify in court. The hearing took place on May 11, 1956, and the case became known as Browder v. Gayle. About a month later, Montgomery’s laws were found to be unconstitutional; the city had no option but to integrate (Hoose, 2001). Finally, Claudette Colvin had been heard and her brave actions had finally made a difference.
Young Colvin was a very brave young woman. Once Claudette Colvin was old enough to realize how unfairly she was treated because of the color of her skin, she hated segregation. One of the first instances when she realized she was treated differently than whites came when she was nine or ten. Her sister and her wanted to go to a rodeo. Sadly the only rodeo they got was being able to wear cowboy boots and hats that their father had bought for them. The actual rodeo show was only for white people. Little Colvin hated racism and most of all, she hated segregation (Levine, 1993). On March 2, 1955, young Claudette Colvin boarded a Highland Gardens bus, which strangely was also the same bus system that Rosa Parks was on when she got arrested nine months later. Since there were no white people when she got on, Colvin took a seat in the middle section of the bus. The bus began to fill up as more and more white people were boarding the bus. Colvin knew she was supposed to get up and move to the back, but she was tired of having to give her seat up for a white person. The bus driver yelled at her, but she refused to give up her seat. Colvin said, “I knew I had to take a stand sometime” (Hoose, 2001). The police were called, but Colvin still remained in her seat. When asked by the police if she was going to get up, she replied, “I do not have to get up. I paid my fare. It’s my constitutional right!” (Hoose, 2001). After repeating herself several times and not moving, the police knocked her books out of her hands, grabbed her wrists and dragged her off the bus. She was being arrested for not giving her seat up. Not only did the policemen arrest her, they also insulted her all the way to City Hall calling her all kinds of inappropriate names (Levine, 1993). Colvin was charged with violating the law, disorderly conduct, and assaulting two police officers. She was forced to pay a fine for her charges and was then placed on probation (Hoose, 2001). These were very unfair charges.
Although more and more strong black leaders were looking for brave African-Americans to stand up for their rights, Colvin’s case was ignored. Some were still too afraid to speak up and stand up for themselves. When Colvin realized her case had been overlooked, she was upset. She felt that they did not want her as a role model because she came from a poorer family (Hoose, 2001). However, before Rosa Parks was arrested, Claudette Colvin met with her and a few other people a few times. Some people were ready to stand up for what they believed in. It felt like only a matter of time before everyone would be ready (Levine, 1993). By the time Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat, most African-Americans were ready to do something about these cruel and unjust laws. They started boycotting the city buses. Even children and high school students were passing out flyers asking people to not ride the buses. Around the same time as the Montgomery Bus Boycott, Fred Grey, a lawyer, was suing the city for their unconstitutional laws. Grey was looking for brave African-Americans who would share their stories of mistreatment in court. Along with only four other people, Claudette Colvin agreed to testify in court. The hearing took place on May 11, 1956, and the case became known as Browder v. Gayle. About a month later, Montgomery’s laws were found to be unconstitutional; the city had no option but to integrate (Hoose, 2001). Finally, Claudette Colvin had been heard and her brave actions had finally made a difference.