Claudette Colvin Research Paper

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A young girl named Claudette Colvin is the reason Rosa Parks started the Montgomery bus boycott Claudette was 15-year-old when she was arrested for refusing her seat on the bus to a white person. She did it nine months before Rosa Parks. Claudette Colvin was an African American pioneer of the 1950’s who fought against segregation and was the last spark to a big fire that was set in the civil rights movement. Claudette was like any other colored kid who had dreams and things she wanted to accomplish in her life. For example, Claudette had a dream of becoming a civil rights attorney to help those who need it. “A 15-year-old gifted Black student, with aspirations to become a civil rights attorney” stated by Oliver Laughland in his article posted …show more content…

For example, she had just gotten out of school when she got on a segregated bus, she decided to take a seat near the door, and that's when the bus driver told her to move. Claudette said she stayed because she felt the power of black leader holding her down. In Margot Adler’s article she wrote “It felt like Sojourner Truth was on one side pushing me down, and Harreit Tubman was on the other side of me pushing me down. I couldn’t get up.” Claudette stayed seated because she felt the black leader telling her to stay down and not give up her pride. She didn't want to be oppressed anymore and didn’t want to let the white people tell her what to do. In addition, after she got arrested Rosa Parks approached her and they became close. 9 months later when Rosa did the same act, Claudette was satisfied with the fact that adults followed her footsteps. Oliver Laughland wrote in his article “ At the time Colvin was unfazed when Parks became the face of the boycott nine months later. She was pleased that adults in her community had followed in her footsteps and taken a direct stand.” Claudette had inspired Rosa with her actions to the point she started a movement against the segregated buses. In all, Claudette 15-year-old self's action had inspired an immense movement against