As some of you may have learned recently in the flurry of stories about her (or from the film Barbershop), Rosa Parks was actually NOT the first African-American to refuse to give-up her seat on a segregated bus in the name of equality. About 9 months before Rosa Parks took her stand (by sitting down) Claudette Colvin, a fifteen-year old high school student at the time showed exceptional courage for making the same decision. In fact, as a plaintiff in Browder v. Gayle, Colvin's case played a role in helping to dismantle legal segregation in this country. (Rosa Parks was obviously a powerful symbol and inspired the Montgomery Bus Boycotts but technically her case didn't have much legal impact)
Some suggest that Colvin's prior act of resistance is understated in the history books because it was decided she was not a suitable symbol for the civil rights struggle. Rosa Parks was older, and had more "respectable" image while Colvin was a young dark-skinned, poor unwed woman who was pregnant by a married white man.
Several accounts of Claudette Colvin's role in the movement against segregation:
THE ORIGINAL FREEDOM RIDER
BROWDER v. GAYLE: The Women Before Rosa Parks
She had a dream
In The Shadow Of Rosa Parks: Unsung Hero Of Civil Rights Movement Speaks Out
Claudette Colvin, Cindy Sheehan, and Us
Daybreak of Freedom: The Montgomery Bus Boycott
But in fact, even Colvin was not the only person to refuse to give up her seat before Rosa Parks. Aurelia Browder, Susie McDonald and Mary Louise Smith (the other three plaintiffs in Browder v. Gayle) made the same decision.
And in 1944, about 11 years prior, Jackie Robinson (yes, that Jackie Robinson) refused an order to get to the back of the bus while he was in the army where he faced court martial but he was ultimately acquitted. In the same year, Irene Morgan also refused to give up her seat on a Greyhound bus to a white person and her court case, Irene Morgan v. Commonwealth of Virginia, also chipped away at the legal foundations for segregation.
So clearly, what made Rosa Parks special wasn't just the mere refusal to give up her seat. We are tempted to see major events as being caused by individuals, either great heroes, or great villains. But in reality, such individuals are often "in the right place, at the right time" and backed by many others who blaze the trails or provide other kinds of support. This doesn't take away from Rosa Park's greatness, but it should help us see her actions in a broader context.
A Common Dreams piece more about the general hero myth surrounding Parks: Let Us Honor Rosa Parks by Shattering the Myths About Her
Two previous Grenada pieces which address related topics:
the people, united
rosa parks (1914-2005)
3 comments:
Right, things like this are often the case. I.E. one person is useful as a symbol to rally others. This isn't nessiscarily bad! But you're rigth, we should be honoring others. I think the general public still doesn't honor Huey P as much as Malcolm X, for example, and they both deserve recognition.
This is a very useful post - thanks.
yes, our minds find it easier to deal with heroes and single individuals instead of whole groups. Which basically means.. focus on one person (usually a guy) and downplay the role of others.
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