Claudette Colvin, Civil Rights Pioneer Who Refused To Give up Her Seat on a Bus, Dies at 86

Many know about Rosa Parks's historic decision to refuse to give up her seat to a white bus passenger in Montgomery, Ala. on Dec. 2, 1955. The powerful decision from Parks was the final catalyst of the Montgomery Bus Boycott and sparked the Civil Rights Movement, for which she has long received credit for. And while Ms. Parks' momentous strides are more than worthy of being recognized, there was someone else who got the boycott to move forward.

The woman, Claudette Colvin, was just 15 years old when she refused to give up her seat in March 1955 to make room for the white passengers on the bus on her way home from high school. Much like what would happen to Parks nine months later, Colvin was arrested.

While Parks would ultimately receive international fame for her role in the Montgomery Bus Boycott, Colvin work moved the movement just as much. She continued fighting for injustice decades after her arrest, and was known as an activist until she took her last breath.

On Jan. 13, 2026, Colvin passed away at the age of 86. Here are the details of her cause of death.

Colvin's official cause of death was confirmed soon after the devastating news was announced. According to NPR, Ashley D. Roseboro, who works on the activist's foundation, the , said she died of natural causes in Texas. The foundation also wrote a statement on its Facebook page in remembrance of Colvin.

"It is with profound sadness that the Claudette Colvin Foundation and family announce the passing of Claudette Colvin, a beloved mother, grandmother, and civil rights pioneer. She leaves behind a legacy of courage that helped change the course of American history," the statement read. "To us, she was more than a historical figure. She was the heart of our family, wise, resilient, and grounded in faith. We will remember her laughter, her sharp wit, and her unwavering belief in justice and human dignity."

Colvin's lifelong fight in the Civil Rights Movement came at many costs. After her arrest, she was made a ward of the State and placed on indefinite probation. And, according to Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed's interview with NPR, she never received the full recognition she deserved for helping to "lay the legal and moral foundation for the movement that would change America" and "was too often overlooked" for her bravery.

Colvin, for her part, was proud of what she did in March 1955, which shaped her future as an activist, and would do it again, despite the arrest and backlash she received.

"My mindset was on freedom," she said. "So I was not going to move that day. I told them that history had me glued to the seat."