Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice

How does Phillip Hoose’s account address the “separate but equal” doctrine that allowed for nearly one hundred years of Jim Crow laws? Consider how Claudette and other civil rights movement leaders would respond to the assertion that an egalitarian society can be segregated.

Teaching Suggestion: This Discussion/Analysis Prompt invites students to apply the Personal Connection Prompt to the central themes of the text. Although the approaches may be different among different leaders and members of the civil rights movement, the African American community was united in the assertion that “separate but equal” was neither realistic nor accurate. You may also want to offer this question as a homework assignment: After reading the text, compare Hoose’s account with your response from the Personal Connection Prompt. How do they differ? How has Claudette’s experience and the case of Browder v. Gayle informed your understanding of the phrase “separate but equal”? Write your response in at least 200 words. Students can also discuss their responses in groups of 2-3 before sharing with the class.