Carrie Patterson

"The small act of sitting down can move a whole community forward."

Carrie Patterson, born in Tallahassee, Florida, was a student activist at Florida A&M University and a vital participant in Tallahassee’s civil rights protests in the 1960s. Alongside her friend Wilhelmina Jakes, Patterson staged a critical bus sit-in that ultimately led to Tallahassee’s bus boycott. The protest was instrumental in desegregating public transportation in the city, marking an early and significant victory in the fight for equality in the South. Patterson’s quiet bravery and willingness to act in the face of adversity underscore her contribution to civil rights in Tallahassee, her actions laying the groundwork for future movements in the state.