MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Claudette Colvin, whose 1955 arrest for refusing to give up her seat on a segregated Montgomery bus helped spark the modern civil rights movement, has died. She was 86.
Her death was announced Tuesday by the Claudette Colvin Legacy Foundation. Ashley D. Roseboro of the organization confirmed she died of natural causes in Texas.
Colvin, at age 15, was arrested nine months before Rosa Parks gained international fame for also refusing to give up her seat on a segregated bus.
Colvin had boarded the bus on March 2, 1955, on her way home from high school. The first rows were reserved for white passengers. Colvin sat in the rear with other Black passengers. When the white section became full, the bus driver ordered Black passengers to relinquish their seats to white passengers. Colvin refused.
“My mindset was on freedom,” Colvin said in 2021 of her refusal to give up her seat.
“So I was not going to move that day,” she said. “I told them that history had me glued to the seat.”
At the time of Colvin's arrest, frustration was mounting over how Black people were treated on the city bus system. Another Black teenager, Mary Louise Smith, was arrested and fined that October for refusing to give up her seat to a white passenger.
It was the arrest of Parks, who was a local NAACP activist, on Dec. 1, 1955, that became the final catalyst for the yearlong Montgomery Bus Boycott. The boycott propelled the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. into the national limelight and is considered the start of the modern civil rights movement.
Colvin was one of the four plaintiffs in the landmark lawsuit that outlawed racial segregation on Montgomery’s buses. Her death comes just over a month after Montgomery celebrated the 70th anniversary of the Bus Boycott.
Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed said Colvin's action “helped lay the legal and moral foundation for the movement that would change America.”
Colvin was never as well-known as Parks, and Reed said her bravery “was too often overlooked.”
“Claudette Colvin’s life reminds us that movements are built not only by those whose names are most familiar, but by those whose courage comes early, quietly, and at great personal cost," Reed said. “Her legacy challenges us to tell the full truth of our history and to honor every voice that helped bend the arc toward justice.”
Colvin in 2021 filed a petition to have her court record expunged. A judge granted the request.
“When I think about why I’m seeking to have my name cleared by the state, it is because I believe if that happened it would show the generation growing up now that progress is possible, and things do get better," Colvin said at the time. “It will inspire them to make the world better.”
FILE - Claudette Colvin answers a question at a news conference after she filed paperwork to have her juvenile record expunged as she sits next to her former attorney, Fred Gray, Oct. 26, 2021, in Montgomery, Ala. (AP Photo/Vasha Hunt, File)
FILE - Claudette Colvin sits for a portrait, Feb. 5, 2009 in New York. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson, File)
ALPHARETTA, Ga.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan 14, 2026--
Mativ Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: MATV), a global leader in specialty materials, today announced an equity investment into Miru Smart Technologies (“Miru”), a leading smart window technology developer, to deepen their strategic partnership and prepare Miru for commercial production of its dynamic electrochromic window (“eWindow”) technology. This investment furthers the Miru-Mativ partnership as technical validation and commercial readiness work continues, targeting vehicle platforms.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260114251065/en/
Building on a history of successful co-development through Mativ’s advanced polymer film brand Argotec, this latest agreement signals a shift toward high-volume manufacturing alignment.
Since their initial joint development agreement in 2024, Miru and Mativ have achieved several technical and industry milestones, including developing one of the world’s largest compound-curved electrochromic sunroofs (1.5 m × 1.6 m) and fulfilling the first commercial purchase orders from major glass manufacturers in 2025.
Key pillars of the strengthened partnership include:
“Mativ pioneers engineered materials designed to tackle the world’s most complex challenges through innovation and a steadfast commitment to sustainability,” said Shruti Singhal, President and CEO of Mativ. “Building on our strong 2025 performance, this investment underscores our confidence in Miru’s technology and our shared goal to establish eWindows, integrated with Argotec technology, as the global standard for energy-efficient glazing.”
“Miru’s growth reflects the work of translating breakthrough technology into a production-ready vehicle platform,” said Curtis Berlinguette, Founder and CEO of Miru. “This progress has been shaped by close collaboration with our partners, and Mativ has played an important role in that journey. With this investment, we strengthen our manufacturing capabilities and supply chain to bring the next generation of smart windows to market.”
Miru’s eWindow technology, paired with Argotec’s optically clear polymer films, delivers a unique neutral tint, superior clarity and advanced solar heat control that can extend EV range by up to 10%.
Through its partnership with Mativ - showcased at Glasstec 2024 and Glass Performance Days 2025 - these innovations are quickly evolving into scalable, manufacturable solutions for industries such as automotive, building and construction, and other industrial applications.
About Mativ
Mativ Holdings, Inc. is a global leader in specialty materials, solving our customers’ most complex challenges by engineering bold, innovative solutions that connect, protect and purify our world. Headquartered in Alpharetta, Georgia, we manufacture on three continents and generate sales in over 80 countries through our family of business-to-business and consumer product brands. The company’s two operating segments, Filtration & Advanced Materials and Sustainable & Adhesive Solutions, target premium applications across diversified and growing categories. Our broad portfolio of technologies combines polymers, fibers and resins to optimize the performance of our customers’ products across multiple stages of the value chain. Our leading positions are a testament to our best-in-class global manufacturing, supply chain and materials science capabilities. We drive innovation and enhance performance, finding potential in the impossible. To learn more, visit mativ.com.
About Argotec
Founded in 1988, Argotec is the global leader in engineered polymer films. Argotec provides unparalleled extrusion capability, capacity, and quality controls to support businesses across the globe. Argotec films are a critical component in a wide variety of industries, including automotive, aerospace, aviation, building & construction, medical, dental, consumer goods, graphics, renewable energy, safety & defense, and more. From surface and paint protection to smart glass and wound care, Argotec innovates everyday products. To learn more, visit argotec.com.
About Miru Smart Technologies
Miru Smart Technologies develops electrochromic windows ("eWindows") for the automotive, transportation and architectural sectors. Miru eWindows transform static glass into dynamic, responsive systems, disrupting industry standards with high performance, aesthetic and functionality. Miru is paving the way for the next generation of energy-efficient window technologies, with the vision to enhance the well-being of people and our planet. Learn more at mirucorp.com.
The Mativ and Miru partnership continues to drive innovation in advanced glass applications for the automotive industry and beyond.
