Civil rights leaders and lawyers believed that Rosa Parks would be the best choice to WIN THE CASE. They were not taking a slap at Claudette.

Parks had worked for the NAACP for more than a decade and was well-liked in the community—including by whites in the community. This was a tough case to win, especially in Alabama. That Claudette had gotten pregnant at 16 wasn’t legally relevant to the case, but nonetheless could have negatively affected the case.

Parks did sewing for a lot of people, including members of the local police department.

Claudette belongs in the history books alongside Parks. But MLK and other activists worked strategically to win these important cases.