
1. Claudette Colvin, Civil Rights Activist
When one thinks of the famed Montgomery Bus Boycott, Rosa Parks doubtless comes to mind. However, it was actually a teenaged girl named Claudette Colvin who was first arrested for refusing to give up her seat to a white person. At only 15, she maintained her place and was handcuffed. She and three other girls went on to challenge Alabama’s segregation laws in court. The Alabama NAACP felt that an adult woman, their secretary Rosa Parks, would be a more sympathetic public figure for the national attention the movement soon garnered, but Claudette Colvin paved the way.
Where did we find this stuff? Here are our sources:
“Five African-Americans Forgotten in History” Joe McGasko, Biography. February 16, 2016.
“Ten Little Known Black History Facts” PBS Black Culture Connection writers. n.d.’
“Little Known Important Black Americans” Carol Bainbridge, ThoughtCo. September 4, 2018.
“10 Black Heroes Who Usually Go Unrecognized During Black History Month, But Shouldn’t” A. Moore, Atlanta Black Star. February 23, 2014.
“In Honor of Black History Month, 10 Heroes You May Not Have Heard Of” Maggie Maloney, Marie Claire. February 10, 2017.
“17 Unsung Heroes of Black History” Julia Austin, Moguldom. December 24, 2013.
“Maxine Waters” Wikipedia contributors. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. February 2019.
“Overlooked” Amisha Padnani and Veronica Chambers, New York Times. January 31, 2019.