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Claudette Colvin

Obama Presidential Center Honoree

Headshot of Claudette Colvin

Space Name: Claudette Colvin Program Room | Forum | Lower Level | Democracy in Action Lab

At 15 years old, Claudette Colvin was arrested for an act of peaceful protest: refusing to give up her seat on a segregated bus. Her bravery helped lead to lasting change. Colvin was one of the key plaintiffs in Browder v. Gayle, the Supreme Court case that ended bus segregation in Montgomery, Alabama. Colvin’s story highlights the vital role of youth in the Civil Rights Movement, illustrating how young people are instrumental in advancing change.

With gratitude to Allstate

Legacy on Campus

  • Democracy in Action Lab

    The Democracy in Action Lab is a home for innovation and intellectual curiosity for emerging leaders and global changemakers making. Explore this space in the Forum, which encourages the next generation to pursue their own paths to excellence. 

  • Toward A More Perfect Union

    Delve into iconic historical moments that helped shape the lives and values of President and Mrs. Obama including the legacy of Claudette Colvin. 

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The Barack Obama Foundation is registered as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN 46-4950751).

John Lewis

Meet More Honorees

Through the honoree naming initiative at the Obama Presidential Center, we are partnering with our donors to celebrate a part of the history in which the Obama story is so deeply rooted by associating a named space with a hero, moment, or person "on whose shoulders we stand"—an honoree who made the Obamas’ story possible.

Meet More Honorees