Claudette Colvin Refuses to Move: Courageous Kid of the Civil Rights Movement

It's March 2, 1955, and an ordinary 15-year-old girl from Montgomery, Alabama is about to do something extraordinary. When a white bus driver orders Claudette Colvin to give up her seat for a white passenger, she refuses to move. After Claudette is arrested, her brave actions help inspire Civil Rights leaders organize bus boycotts and perform similar acts to defy segregation laws. Eventually, Claudette's court case results in overturning Alabama's unconstitutional laws and provides greater freedom for black Americans everywhere.

Dr. Ebony Joy Wilkins is an English professor and author of books for children. She enjoys traveling, beach days, live music, playing tennis, and visiting her family. She lives in Chicago with her ever-expanding succulent plant and book collections. Read more at ebonyjoywilkins.com.

Mark Simmons is a freelance illustrator and cartoonist based in San Francisco. His past work includes comics for publishers such as Capstone, Behrman House, and Rebellion, as well as animation and advertising storyboards, animated operas, and other strange things. He also teaches comic art, figure drawing, and wildlife illustration for local zoos, schools, and museums. He loves animals of all kinds, especially bugs! For more info, visit www.ultimatemark.com.