Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice by Phillip Hoose
Do you know who Claudette Colvin is? You do know that Rosa Parks wasn’t the first person to refuse to give up her bus seat to a white person in Montgomery, Alabama, don’t you? Read Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice by Phillip Hoose and you will discover this unsung civil rights hero.
In full honesty, I believe it was only last year when I read Freedom Walkers, The Story of the Montgomery Bus Boycott by Russell Freedman that I realized that there were others before Rosa Park who were arrested after refusing to give up their bus seat. I know that civil rights leaders were looking for the perfect person to give voice to the injustices that they faced. And although Claudette Colvin was one such person who fought against injustice it was Rosa Parks who rose to visibility while Claudette Colvin not only faded into obscurity but was often shunned and seen as an unfit role model. And this was in despite of the fact that it was the lawsuit and testimony in court that Claudette and others brought against the city of Montgomery that ultimately desegregated the bus system.
In this biography of Claudette Colvin, Phillip Hoose has spent countless hours researching and interviewing Claudette and her family to bring us her story. This is the most complete story and direct quotes that we have from Claudette Colvin and is well worth checking out.
Claudette Colvin was only 15 when she was arrested for refusing to give up her seat to a white woman. A great reminder that is ordinary people doing extraordinary things who make all the difference.And while her name may have almost been lost in history, it was her actions that had a direct effect on the civil rights movement that changed the south for everybody forever.
Hear from Claudette herself in this video and then check out this informative book which will have you questioning whether or not you would have had her courage:
Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice is part of my themed reading for the month of February which celebrates Black History Month. Join me this month as I explore books that celebrate the history of African-Americans.
>Links of interest: Phillip Hoose website, book blogger reviews.
Genre: Young Adult Non-Fiction
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux. January 20, 2009.
Hardcover, 144 pages. ISBN 0374313229
Claudette Colvin Twice Towards Justice is available from your favorite independent bookstore, Powell’s, and Amazon.
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Tags: A-D Title, African American, Black History Month reads, book trailers, civil rights movement, E-H Author, male author, National Book Award, Newbery, Newbery Honor, published 2009, Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, videos
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How true it is that some actions spark a movement but then get lost because the marketers can’t quite wrap up the story? I was reading abt similar lunchcounter protests that were successful but are not the ones were remember in history. This sounds like a terrific book, thank you.
on February 16th, 2010 at 7:14 amI really loved this book too!
on February 16th, 2010 at 9:37 amExcellent book. I read it on Thanksgiving which turned out to be a bit of a problem as I wanted to keep reading and not make turkey. :-p
on February 16th, 2010 at 11:32 amBut seriously, it was written and presented in a great way, with Claudette often speaking for herself. Very deserving of the awards and attention it has been garnering.
Yes, I knew there were others, including Claudette before Rosa Parks. Glad to see her story told.
Thanks for the review.
on February 17th, 2010 at 7:57 am[...] Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice by Phillip M. Hoose. My book review. [...]
on February 18th, 2010 at 12:59 am