Political Quotes

“Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Claudette Colvin, a Parkchester resident and American civil rights pioneer who, on March 2, 1955, at the age of 15 years old, was arrested in Montgomery, Alabama, for refusing to give up her seat to a young passenger, becoming one of the many to be arrested for challenging Montgomery's bus segregation policies. Nine months after Claudette Colvin, Rosa Parks was famously arrested for a similar act of civil nonviolence. Claudette's heroic story was nearly forgotten by history. Her actions led to monumental progress in our Nation's history. Not only that, her heroic actions amplified and set the stage for other great African American civil rights leaders and their actions. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Ms. Claudette Colvin's courage to stand in the face of injustice and demand recognition of her inalienable rights. Because, in her courage to fight for her freedom, she paved a path for millions of others to do the same. ____________________”