Sarah Mae Flemming facts for kids

Sarah Mae Flemming Brown (born June 28, 1933 – died June 16, 1993) was an African-American woman who played an important role in the Civil Rights Movement. She was asked to leave a bus in Columbia, South Carolina, because of her race. This happened 17 months before Rosa Parks famously refused to give up her seat on a bus in Alabama in 1955. Flemming's lawsuit against the bus company helped set the stage for later civil rights cases, including the one involving Rosa Parks.

Early Life and Work

Sarah Mae Flemming was born on June 28, 1933. Her parents were Mack and Rosella Goodwin Flemming. She grew up on her family's farm in Eastover, South Carolina. She went to Webber High School in Eastover, finishing around the tenth or eleventh grade.

After school, Sarah Mae worked for an uncle in Ohio for a year. Then, she moved back to South Carolina. She lived with a cousin and started working two jobs as a domestic worker in Columbia, South Carolina.

Standing Up for Civil Rights

On June 22, 1954, Sarah Mae Flemming got on a bus to go to work. She sat in the only empty seat she could find. She thought this seat was in the area where Black riders were allowed to sit.

However, the bus driver told her she was sitting in a "white-only" section. Sarah Mae felt very embarrassed. She signaled for the bus to stop at the next stop so she could get off. But the driver blocked her way when she tried to leave through the front door. He then hit her in the stomach and told her to exit through the back door.

The Lawsuit Begins

Local civil rights activists heard about what happened to Sarah Mae. They helped her find a lawyer named Phillip Wittenberg. He was a white attorney in Columbia.

On July 21, 1954, a lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court. It was called Flemming v. South Carolina Electric and Gas. The lawsuit said that Sarah Mae Flemming's rights under the Fourteenth Amendment had been violated. This amendment promises equal protection for all citizens.

Court Battles

On February 16, 1955, a judge named George Bell Timmerman, Sr. dismissed the case. This meant he threw it out. But Ms. Flemming did not give up. She appealed the decision to the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals. Her case was argued there on June 21, 1955.

On July 14, 1955, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals disagreed with Judge Timmerman. They sent the case back to his court for more legal steps.

The bus company, SCE&G, then appealed this decision to the United States Supreme Court. But on April 23, 1956, the Supreme Court refused to hear their appeal. This meant the Appeals Court's decision stood.

Continuing the Fight

On June 13, 1956, Judge Timmerman dismissed the case again. Mr. Wittenberg, her first lawyer, decided not to handle another appeal. He gave the case to Thurgood Marshall and Robert Carter from the NAACP.

For the third trial, new lawyers, Lincoln Jenkins, Jr. and Matthew J. Perry, represented Ms. Flemming. The jury quickly decided in favor of the bus company. However, by this time, the Montgomery Bus Boycott had already happened. Also, a major court decision called Browder v. Gayle had been made. This decision said that bus segregation was illegal. Because of these changes, a third appeal for Sarah Mae's case was not filed.

Later Life and Legacy

During her legal case, Sarah Mae Flemming married John Brown. He was from Gaston County, North Carolina. They had three children together.

Sarah Mae Flemming Brown passed away on June 16, 1993, just before her 60th birthday. She died from a heart attack caused by diabetes. She was buried in the Goodwill Baptist Church cemetery in Eastover, South Carolina.

In 2005, a documentary film was made about her. It was called Before Rosa: The Unsung Contribution Of Sarah Mae Flemming. This film was shown on PBS stations across the United States, helping more people learn about her important story.