Claudette Colvin - The Forgotten Voice of Defiance

Before Rosa Parks made history, a 15-year-old girl took a stand that few remember today. Claudette Colvin refused to give up her seat on a segregated bus in Montgomery, Alabama, igniting a spark in the Civil Rights Movement. But why was her story overlooked? In this episode, we uncover Claudette’s courageous act, the challenges she faced, and how history chooses its heroes. We also explore the role of young activists—past and present—in shaping change. Join us as we bring Claudette Colvin’s name back into the conversation and recognize the impact of those who defy injustice, no matter their age.

🎧 Listen now and help share her story. #BlackHistoryMonth #ClaudetteColvin #UnsungHeroes

Please note transcription accuracy may vary.

Music by - Neffex - don't want to let myself down 
Neffex - A year go

https://www.biography.com/activists/claudette-colvin

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2021/feb/25/claudette-colvin-the-woman-who-refused-to-give-up-her-bus-seat-nine-months-before-rosa-parks

Transcript

Ad: 0:07

I knew then, and I know now, that when it comes to justice, there's no easy way to get it. You have to take a stand and say, this isn't right. Hi, hi, hi. Welcome back to another episode of Their Story, Their Voice. Obviously, mini solo episode. Hope you're all well, hope you're all good. I just wanted to put this episode out in honour of Black History Month in America. And I wanted to speak about someone who, you may have heard of, you may not have heard of, so I'm going to start, I won't be going off on tangents, I will be trying not to today I wanted to shine a light on Claudette Colvin, a 15 year old girl whose bravery deserves to be remembered. I feel like if you've listened to episodes before, the whole podcast is supposed to try and shine the light on kindness, courage. And change. Whilst recognizing, because I do say this every time, kindness means different things to different people. So, I would say that what Claudette did was an act of kindness, so I'm going to start. Before Rosa Parks famous stand, Claudette refused to give up her seat on a segregated bus in Montgomery, Alabama. Yet, history has largely overlooked her contribution. And today, I just wanted to actually tell her story. Claudette grew up in a deeply segregated society. She was raised in a neighborhood where systematic racism dictated every aspect of life, from schooling to transportation. Claudette's been described as a bright and determined student. She was inspired by black historical figures and she aspired to become a lawyer, recognizing Early, the power of the law in fighting injustice. These influences would go on to shape her awareness and fuel the bravery that would define her story. The civil rights movement is often associated with Rosa Parks as a defining figure in the Montgomery bus boycott. I do need to make this very clear. There's no world in which I exist that I would not think that Rosa Parks was a entire boss, B I T C H. It's okay that I called her that in the most magnificent and bestest way because I live in the United Kingdom and I know who Rosa Parks is but this isn't actually about Rosa Parks. There will be slight mentions of Rosa throughout this just because of similarities to Giving up your seat on the bus, but prior to Rosa and her defiant moment Claudette Colvin's role came first and that deserves recognition Montgomery bus boycott which began in 1955 was a mass protest against racial segregation on public buses in Montgomery, Alabama It's very annoying that I every single time that I've recorded this. I just keep on wanting to burst out into song about It's Sweet Home Alabama. That's a song. I'm not going to do that because that's not appropriate. The montgomery bus boycott was a protest. against racial segregation on public buses, which began in 1955. And it was a mass protest. It lasted for over a year and it would lead to the Supreme Court. I'm not going to say that the Supreme Court is the highest court in the land in America because I feel like by now we all, that one even I remember. So it would lead to the Supreme Court ruling that segregation on public transportation was unconstitutional. While Rosa Parks remains an undeniable symbol of strength, she was even the second black person to be buried in the U. S. Capitol building. I'm sure it's the U. S. Capitol building. I even googled to double check. And I'm not making it up. It's an entire thing. There is someone else who was also buried there. A black person. There's obviously quite a few people who are buried there. Anywho, see? Tangent. But we also must acknowledge that history sometimes overlooks other key players. Months before Rosa's historic act of resistance, a teenager named Claudette Colvin had already made the same stand but her story didn't receive the same recognition and I kind of wondered why and the only thing that I can think of is the answer lies in how history chooses its heroes and in how many activists, young activists, especially those from marginalized communities, are often erased. 2nd 1955. Claudette was on her way home from school when the bus driver ordered her to give up her seat for a white passenger. she refused, firmly stating that it was her constitutional right to remain seated. This bold act led to her arrest, marking a pivotal but often overlooked moment in the fight against segregation. At the time, because I do feel like this is just worth mentioning, Claudette was also pregnant, which became another reason the civil rights leaders chose not to elevate her case in the movement. I'm guessing they kind of feared it wouldn't garner the same widespread support. Support because, you know, apparently if you're a woman and you're young and you're pregnant, society seems to feel that they can judge based on that. My opinion, not any fact. So fast forward to today. And we see how social media has changed the game. Movements like Black Lives Matter have shown how young activists can no longer be ignored. The voices of young organisers have fuelled protests, spread awareness and challenged deeply ingrained narratives. Figures like Greta Thunberg, who is an entire, also, boss, I'm not going to use the word. I'm going to go for female boss. I feel like I want to have, I want to be able to describe them as something else, like just the, just what they have been able to do. So figures like Greta, whose activism on climate change has reached global recognition and I feel like we've all benefited from this shift because climate change is entirely a thing. But that's not for this episode. But whilst Greta has been recognised and done amazing, amazing things, young black activists within BLM have often faced resistance, pushback, and attempts to discredit them, showing that even in the digital age, the battle for recognition is still ongoing. During the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests young activists took the lead in organising marches, educating their communities and calling for systematic change. Names like, Zyahna Bryant, who started petitions as a teenager to remove Confederate statues, reminded us that young voices have always been at the forefront. However, just like Claudette, they face skepticism and at times just outright dismissal. For some, that phrase, Black Lives Matter, feels like an exclusion of others, but at its core, it's actually just a call to acknowledge and address the systematic injustices that have disproportionately affected black communities. I feel I didn't know if I wanted to add it because I don't want to make people feel uncomfortable because actually, I didn't want to make people feel uncomfortable. And then I thought about it and I just thought, maybe actually it's okay for us to hear things that make us feel uncomfortable. The discomfort many white individuals feel often comes from a challenge to the status quo, an acknowledgement that racial privilege It's an entire real thing that exists, and that real change requires addressing uncomfortable truths, things that actually don't sit well with us. Historically, movements advocating for racial equality have been met with resistance, as they force society to confront injustice. that many would rather ignore, just as Claudette Colvin's defiance unsettled the norms of her time, BLM continues to challenge today's ingrained power structures. I get it. I know conversations like this can sometimes feel uncomfortable, but that's how we learn, and that's how we do better, By listening, reflecting, and making space for voices that history has overlooked. Before I finish, I just want to talk about what happened to Claudette after her Courageous Stand. It's important to note that Recent efforts to roll back progress on racial education and diversity initiatives have faced pushback. I'm gonna have to do it. President Trump's plans to stop equality, diversity and inclusion initiatives have been halted, showing that whilst there are attempts to suppress these conversations, there is also strong resistance. To ensure they continue, Claudette Colvin's story reminds us that history is not always fair in choosing its heroes but that doesn't mean we can't reclaim those voices and give them the recognition they deserve. Her courage helped pave the way for the Montgomery bus boycott yet for decades she remained in the shadows. So today I just wanted to remember her and acknowledge That the fight for justice often starts with the young, fearless individuals, whether in 1955 or today. After her arrest, Claudette Colvin continued to fight for civil rights, serving as a plaintiff in Browder v. Gale. The case that led to the Supreme Court ruling segregation on public buses was unconstitutional. However, Her role was largely forgotten, and she eventually would go on to move to New York where she worked as a nurse's aide for decades. In 2021, at the age of 82, she successfully petitioned to have her juvenile arrest record expunged, a long overdue acknowledgement of the injustice she endured. So. Next time we talk about heroes of the civil rights movement, can we just make sure that Claudette name is among them, please? I did wonder, because obviously I live in the United Kingdom, I'm British, so I did think, do I, should I put something out? But I feel like it was the right thing to do because there is so much going on in the world at the moment that I feel like if you listen to the episodes and know that Ultimately, I might be stupid, it might be naive, but I do believe if we were all just kinder to one another, imagine what the world would look like. So that's it. Just wanted to put that out. Thank you so, so much for joining me. And as always, please be kind to others. But most importantly, be kind to yourself in whatever form that looks like. So have a good rest of the week. Thank you so much. Bye, bye, bye, bye.