Black History Month: Give Credit Where Credit Is Due

I am an avid reader of various reading materials. On February 5, 2012, I came across the Sunday's paper in "Today's Sunbeam." In the Editorial section in the paper, I became aware of a letter written by Senator Stephen Sweeney. In the letter, Senator Sweeney wrote about African-American History due to the fact of February is Black History Month. Senator Sweeney paid homage to the likes of Dr. Carter G. Woodson who is the founder father of Black History Month. He also made reference Harriet Tubman as being a champion of human rights. It was when Sweeney went on to mention Rosa Parks, who was considered "first lady of civil rights,” and how Rosa Parks refused to relinquish her seat on a public bus to a white passenger in 1955. That is when I felt compelled to write a letter to the editor, about knowledge I have come across studying and reading "African-American History" along with the "History of Slavery."

I hope that Senator Sweeney would come across my letter as I came across his letter. I want to enlighten and educate Senator Sweeney and others on black history facts that they may not know about. Recognizing the dearth of information on the accomplishments of blacks in 1915, Dr. Woodson founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History, now called the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH). Through this association Dr. Carter G. Woodson wanted to give recognition to all African-Americans who have contributed and initiated movements that created revolutions for freedom, justice and equality in America.

When we talk about a person like Rosa Parks whom in fact was a true" pioneer" and "mother of the civil rights movement," we cannot forget to also pay homage and recognize a woman by the name of Claudette Colvin. Nine months before Rosa Parks refuse to give up her seat in Alabama, Claudette Colvin stood up segregation by refusing to give up her seat to a white woman. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People briefly considered using Colvin's case to challenge the segregation laws, but they decided against it because of her age. She also became pregnant around the time of her arrest, and they thought an unwed mother would attract too much negative attention in a public legal battle. She was only 15 years old at the time.

When asked why she is little known and why everyone thinks only of Rosa Parks, Colvin says the NAACP and all the other black organizations felt Parks would be a good icon because "she was an adult. They didn't think teenagers would be reliable." She also says "Parks had the right hair and the right look."
"Her skin texture was the kind that people associate with the middle class," says Colvin. "She fit that profile."

Although Rosa Parks receives the credit and recognition, we cannot forget about Claudette Colvin, without those two women where would we be as a people today living in the United States of America?
 “I knew then and I know now that, when it comes to justice, there is no easy way to get it. You can't sugarcoat it. You have to take a stand and say, This is not right."

—Claudette Colvin