Rosa Parks Quotes

"My only concern was to get home after a hard day's work."
-Rosa Parks

"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."
-Rosa Parks

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

"I would like to be known as a person who is concerned about freedom and equality and justice and prosperity for all people."
-Rosa Parks

"Was that 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."
-Rosa Parks

"I was just trying to let them know how I felt about being treated as a human being."
-Rosa Parks

"He pointed at me and said, 'that one won't stand up.' The two policemen came near me and only one spoke to me. He asked me if the driver had asked me to stand up? I said, 'yes.' He asked me why I didn't stand up, ... I told him I didn't think I should have to stand up. So I asked him: 'Why do you push us around?' And he told me, 'I don't know, but the law is the law and you are under arrest.'"
-Rosa Parks

"I have always been a timid person but my life has required me to be courageous."
-Rosa Parks

"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."
-Rosa Parks

"Whatever my individual desires were to be free, I was not alone. There were many others who felt the same way."
-Rosa Parks

"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."
-Rosa Parks

"The only tired I was, was tired of giving in."
-Rosa Parks

"Memories of our lives, of our works and our deeds will continue in others."
-Rosa Parks

"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."
-Rosa Parks

"I knew someone had to take the first step and I made up my mind not to move."
-Rosa Parks

"Our mistreatment was just not right, and I was tired of it."
-Rosa Parks