Rosa Parks Quotes

“I would like to be known as a person who is concerned about freedom and equality and justice and prosperity for all people.”

“I have learned over the years that when one’s mind is made up, this diminishes fear; knowing what must be done does away with fear.”

“Memories of our lives, of our works and our deeds will continue in others.”

“Each person must live their life as a model for others.”

“Racism is still with us. But it is up to us to prepare our children for what they have to meet, and, hopefully, we shall overcome.”

“It was not pre-arranged. It just happened that the driver made a demand and I just didn’t feel like obeying his demand. I was quite tired after spending a full day working.”

“I’m tired of being treated like a second-class citizen.”

“Have you ever been hurt and the place tries to heal a bit, and you just pull the scar off of it over and over again.”

“I would like to be remembered as a person who wanted to be free… so other people would be also free.”

“Whatever my individual desires were to be free, I was not alone. There were many others who felt the same way.”

“Why do you all push us around?”

“All I was doing was trying to get home from work.”

“My only concern was to get home after a hard day’s work.”

“At the time I was arrested I had no idea it would turn into this. It was just a day like any other day. The only thing that made it significant was that the masses of the people joined in.”

“You must never be fearful about what you are doing when it is right.”

“I believe we are here on the planet Earth to live, grow up and do what we can to make this world a better place for all people to enjoy freedom.”

“I had given up my seat before, but this day, I was especially tired. Tired from my work as a seamstress, and tired from the ache in my heart.”

“Arrest me for sitting on a bus? You may do that.” “People always say that I didn’t give up my seat because I was tired, but that isn’t true. No, the only tired I was, was tired of giving in.”

“No.”

“Stand for something or you will fall for anything. Today’s mighty oak is yesterday’s nut that held its ground.”

“I do the very best I can to look upon life with optimism and hope and looking forward to a better day, but I don’t think there is anything such as complete happiness. It pains me that there is still a lot of Klan activity and racism. I think when you say you’re happy, you have everything that you need and everything that you want, and nothing more to wish for. I haven’t reached that stage yet.”

“I knew someone had to take the first step and I made up my mind not to move.”

“Our mistreatment was just not right, and I was tired of it.”

“I was just trying to let them know how I felt about being treated as a human being”

“I was a person with dignity and self-respect, and I should not set my sights lower than anybody else just because I was black.”