Claudette Colvin

Hello, my name is Claudette Colvin. When I was a little girl, I lived in a city called Montgomery, in a state called Alabama. I loved going to school every day. Learning was so much fun for me. At school, I learned about what is fair and what is not fair. I learned that being kind to everyone is very important. I always believed in my heart that every single person should be treated with kindness and respect. It just felt like the right way for the world to be.

One day in the year 1955, I was riding the bus home from school. I was just a young person then. In those days, there was a very unfair rule on the bus. The rule said that some people had to give up their seats for other people. I did not think that rule was fair at all. The bus driver looked at me and told me to get up and move from my seat. It felt a little scary to hear that. But inside, I felt that the rule was wrong, so I decided to be brave. I stayed sitting right where I was.

By being brave and staying in my seat, I helped show everyone that some rules are unfair and need to be changed. My small choice helped other people feel brave, too. It showed them that they could also stand up for what is right. I am still proud of what I did on that bus a long time ago. My story helps show that even a young person can do something important. You can help make the world a better and fairer place for everyone, no matter how old you are.