By Trendsetter Tribune 
Claudette Colvin, a 15-year-old civil rights pioneer whose defiance of bus segregation predated Rosa Parks, has died at 86. Her legacy helped challenge segregation and inspire generations.
Claudette Colvin, a trailblazing civil rights activist who, at just 15, refused to give up her bus seat to a White woman in Montgomery, Alabama — an act that helped pave the way for the landmark civil rights victories of the 1950s and 1960s — has died at the age of 86. Her family and the Claudette Colvin Foundation announced her passing on Tuesday.
“It is with profound sadness that the Claudette Colvin Foundation and family announce the passing of Claudette Colvin, a beloved mother, grandmother, and civil rights pioneer,” the statement reads. “She leaves behind a legacy of courage that helped change the course of American history.”
The 1955 Bus Protest
On March 2, 1955, Colvin was riding a bus in Montgomery with three classmates when a White woman boarded. At the time, segregation laws prohibited Black and White passengers from sitting in the same row. While her classmates moved, Colvin refused.
“I refused because this wasn’t an elderly White lady. This was a young White lady,” Colvin told CBS Mornings in 2021.
After several stops, a police officer forcibly removed her from the bus. Colvin was arrested and charged with disturbing the peace, breaking segregation laws, and assaulting a police officer. While two of the charges were later dropped, the assault charge remained for more than six decades. In 2021, she successfully had her record expunged.
Role in Browder v. Gayle
Colvin’s defiance was a pivotal precursor to Rosa Parks’ more widely known protest later that year. In 1956, Colvin became one of four plaintiffs in Browder v. Gayle, the lawsuit that successfully challenged bus segregation in Alabama. The case eventually reached the Supreme Court and contributed to the nationwide desegregation of public buses.
“Because when they go out into the world, the struggle of being African American is still going on,” Colvin said in 2021. “So I want my grandchildren to know that their grandmother stood up for something when she realized that she was an American at a very early age, and she wanted equal rights.”
Legacy and Later Life
Colvin pursued education and a career in healthcare, working as a nurse’s aide for 30 years. She raised two sons and was a grandmother to five grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Her story has gained renewed attention, including an upcoming biopic titled Spark, directed by Anthony Mackie and starring Saniyya Sidney. A release date has not yet been announced.
Former Vice President Kamala Harris recognized Colvin as a role model in 2021, calling her courage an inspiration for future generations.
“She was the heart of our family, wise, resilient, and grounded in faith,” the family said in their statement. “We will remember her laughter, her sharp wit, and her unwavering belief in justice and human dignity.”