Myths of Historic Figures

Relevant to the misconceptions that have been taught regarding Columbus, the story of Rosa Parks is no different. Everyone's heard the story of Rosa Parks as an elderly woman who courageously took a stand for her rights on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama. However, this is not the full, true story. The first person to refuse a white man their seat on a bus was Claudette Colvin. She was a fifteen year old girl who refused to move on a bus. Colvin's name had not been widely known during the Civil Rights movement due to the fact that she wasn't considered an acceptable example for the movement. Colvin's skin was a very dark shade and she became pregnant with a married man's baby. A tired, elderly woman sets forth an example whom the public could sympathize with much easier.

Click here to  read the story of Claudette Colvin on the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) website