Rosa Parks
Each person must live their life as a model for others.Collection: Life
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.Collection: Time
Memories of our lives, of our works and our deeds will continue in others.Collection: Inspirational
I have never been what you would call just an integrationist. I know I've been called that... Integrating that bus wouldn't mean more equality. Even when there was segregation, there was plenty of integration in the South, but it was for the benefit and convenience of the white person, not us.Collection: Equality
God has always given me the strength to say what is right.Collection: God
In it not easy to remain rational and normal mentally in such a setting where, even in our airport in Montgomery, there is a white waiting room... There are restroom facilities for white ladies and colored women, white men and colored men. We stand outside after being served at the same ticket counter instead of sitting on the inside.Collection: Women
Time begins the healing process of wounds cut deeply by oppression. We soothe ourselves with the salve of attempted indifference, accepting the false pattern set up by the horrible restriction of Jim Crow laws.Collection: Time
As far back as I can remember, I knew there was something wrong with our way of life when people could be mistreated because of the color of their skin.Collection: Life
You spend your whole lifetime in your occupation, actually making life clever, easy and convenient for white people. But when you have to get transportation home, you are denied an equal accommodation. Our existence was for the white man's comfort and well-being; we had to accept being deprived of just being human.Collection: Life
All I was doing was trying to get home from work.Collection: Home
I was born 50 years after slavery, in 1913. I was allowed to read. My mother, who was a teacher, taught me when I was a very young child. The first school I attended was a small building that went from first to sixth grade. There was one teacher for all of the students. There could be anywhere from 50 to 60 students of all different ages.Collection: Teacher
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.Collection: Equality
My only concern was to get home after a hard day's work.Collection: Work
I don't think well of people who are prejudiced against people because of race. The only way for prejudiced people to change is for them to decide for themselves that all human beings should be treated fairly. We can't force them to think that way.Collection: Change
I had felt for a long time that, if I was ever told to get up so a white person could sit, that I would refuse to do so.Collection: Time
Let us look at Jim Crow for the criminal he is and what he has done to one life multiplied millions of times over these United States and the world. He walks us on a tightrope from birth.Collection: Life
I would like to be remembered as a person who wanted to be free... so other people would be also free.Collection: Freedom
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.Collection: Fear
Whatever my individual desires were to be free, I was not alone. There were many others who felt the same way.Collection: Alone
I'm tired of being treated like a second-class citizen.
People always say that I didn't give up my seat because I was tired, but that isn't true. I was not tired physically... No, the only tired I was, was tired of giving in.
There is just so much hurt, disappointment, and oppression one can take... The line between reason and madness grows thinner.
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.
The Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute accepts people of any race. We don't discriminate against anyone. We teach people to reach their highest potential. I set examples by the way I lead my life.
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.
Why do you all push us around?
Whites would accuse you of causing trouble when all you were doing was acting like a normal human being instead of cringing.
I have been refused entrance on the buses because I would not pay my fare at the front and go around to the rear door to enter. That was the custom if the bus was crowded up to the point where the white passengers would start occupying.
I talked and talked of everything I know about the white man's inhuman treatment of the Negro.
To bring about change, you must not be afraid to take the first step. We will fail when we fail to try.Collection: Trying
you must never be fearful about what you are doing when it is right.Collection: Motivational
I believe there is only one race - the human race.Collection: Believe
Stand for something or you will fall for anything. Today's mighty oak is yesterday's nut that held its ground.Collection: Inspirational
What really matters is not whether we have problems, but how we go through them. We must keep going on to make it through whatever we are facing.Collection: Matter
I am leaving this legacy to all of you...to bring peace, justice, equality, love and a fulfillment of what our lives should be. Without vision, the people will perish, and without courage and inspiration, dreams will die - the dream of freedom and peace.Collection: Love
People have said over the years that the reason I did not give up my seat was because I was tired. I did not think of being physically tired. My feet were not hurting. I was tired in a different way. I was tired of seeing so many men treated as boys and not called by their proper names or titles. I was tired of seeing children and women mistreated and disrespected because of the color of their skin. I was tired of Jim Crow laws, of legally enforced racial segregation.Collection: Hurt
One person can change the world.Collection: World
Nothing in the Golden Rule says that others will treat us as we have treated them. It only says that we must treat others in a way that we would want to be treated.Collection: Kindness
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.Collection: Giving Up
Without a vision the people perish, but without courage dreams die.Collection: Dream
It takes more than one person to bring about peace - it takes all of us.Collection: Peace
As long as people use tactics to oppress or restrict other people from being free, there is work to be done.Collection: Long
It is better to protest than to accept injustice.Collection: Justice
Knowing what must be done does away with fear.Collection: Inspiring
There is work to do; that is why I cannot stop or sit still. As long as a child needs help, as long as people are not free, there will be work to do. As long as an elderly person is attacked or in need of support, there is work to do. As long as we have bigotry and crime, we have work to do.Collection: Children
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.Collection: Growing Up
I learned to put my trust in God and to see Him as my strength. Long ago I set my mind to be a free person and not to give in to fear. I always felt that it was my right to defend myself if I could. 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.Collection: Long Ago
You cannot always control the powers-that-be. You just have to have faith and stand by the things you believe in.Collection: Believe
I will no longer act on the outside in a way that contradicts the truth that I hold deeply inside. I will no longer act as if I were less than the whole person I know myself inwardly to be.Collection: Way
If you want to be respected for your actions, then your behavior must be above reproach. If our lives demonstrate that we are peaceful, humble, and trusted, this is recognized by others.Collection: Christian