On March 2, 1955, Claudette boarded a segregated bus and sat in the "colored" section, but when the bus got crowded, the driver ordered her to give up her seat to a white person. Claudette refused, citing her Constitutional rights and the fact that she was tired of being treated unfairly. She was arrested and taken to jail, but her courageous act didn't go unnoticed.
The NAACP got wind of Claudette's story and was impressed by her bravery, but they decided not to use her as a poster child for the movement because of her unmarried pregnancy and lower socioeconomic status. Can you believe it? The very organization that was supposed to be fighting for equality and justice was worried about Claudette's image. It's like they thought the movement was all about appearances rather than substance.
