Looking for the best Rosa Parks quotes? This collection of famous Rosa Parks quotes will help you stand up for what you believe in.
Rosa Park’s never imagined of becoming “the first lady of civil rights” or “the mother of the freedom movement” but when she refused to give up her seat on the bus to a white passenger on December 1, 1955—and was arrested as a result of it—the impact of her act of defiance was far-reaching, and encouraged others to stand up with her.
Martin Luther King Jr. applauded her courage and civil disobedience. He talked about the mistreatment of African American bus passengers and rallied for nonviolent protest.
Her actions led to the Montgomery bus boycott that would last 381 days altering American history. An estimated 40,000 African American commuters refused to use buses. Instead, they carpooled, walked or used black-operated cabs, which charged the same price as buses.
A number of buses stood for months causing considerable damage to the bus company’s finances. Eventually, the city repealed its law of the segregation of public buses.
During her lifetime Rosa Parks received two dozen honorary doctorates from universities and Time Magazine named her one of the 20 most influential and iconic figures of the 20th century.
Rosa Parks example shows that one person standing up for what they believe in can change the world. Below you’ll find the best Rosa Parks quotes to inspire you to stand up for your freedom and beliefs.
Famous Rosa Parks Quotes
1. “Stand for something or you will fall for anything. Today’s mighty oak is yesterday’s nut that held its ground.” – Rosa Parks
2. “You must never be fearful about what you are doing when it is right.” – Rosa Parks
3. “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
4. “I would like to be remembered as a person who wanted to be free… So other people would be also free.” – Rosa Parks
5. “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.” – Rosa Parks
6. “There is just so much hurt, disappointment, and oppression one can take… The line between reason and madness grows thinner.” – Rosa Parks
7. “To bring about change, you must not be afraid to take the first step. We will fail when we fail to try.” – Rosa Parks
8. “Each person must live their life as a model for others.” – Rosa Parks
9. “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
10. “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
11. “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.” – Rosa Parks
12. “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.” – Rosa Parks
13. “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.” – Rosa Parks
14. “Without vision, people perish, and without courage and inspiration dreams die.” – Rosa Parks
15. “Differences of race, nationality or religion should not be used to deny any human being citizenship rights or privileges.” – Rosa Parks
16. “Our freedom is threatened every time one of our young people is killed by another child… Every time a person gets stopped and beaten by the police because of the color of their skin.” – Rosa Parks
17. “It is better to teach or live equality and love… Than to have hatred and prejudice.” – Rosa Parks
18. “We must have courage — determination — to go on with the task of becoming free — not only for ourselves, but for the nation and the world — cooperate with each other. Have faith in God and ourselves.” – Rosa Parks
19. “There were times when it would have been easy to fall apart or to go in the opposite direction, but somehow I felt that if I took one more step, someone would come along to join me.” – Rosa Parks
20. “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 any such thing as complete happiness.” – Rosa Parks
21. “Life is to be lived to its fullest so that death is just another chapter. Memories of our lives, of our works and our deeds will continue in others.” – Rosa Parks
22. “God has always given me the strength to say what is right.” – Rosa Parks
23. “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.” – Rosa Parks
24. “I think the American Dream should be to have a good life, and to live well, and to be a good citizen. I think that should apply to all of us.” – Rosa Parks
25. “People need to free their minds of racial prejudice and believe in equality for all and freedom regardless of race.” – Rosa Parks
26. “If I have to face something, I do so no matter what. I have never had any desire to give up. I did not feel that giving up would be a way to become a free person.” – Rosa Parks
27. “I am 83 years old, and I have come to realize that there is always more in life to learn.” – Rosa Parks
28. “What really matters is not whether we have problems, but we go through them. We must keep going on to make it through whatever we are facing.” – Rosa Parks
29. “I had not planned to get arrested. I had plenty to do without having to end up in jail. But when I had to face that decision, I didn’t hesitate to do so because I felt that we had endured that too long. The more we gave in, the more we complied with that kind of treatment, the more oppressive it became.” – Rosa Parks
30. “I believe there is only one race – the human race.” – Rosa Parks
31. “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.” – Rosa Parks
32. “As a child I learned from the Bible to trust in God and not be afraid. And I felt the Lord would give me the strength to endure whatever I had to face. God did away with all my fear.” – Rosa Parks
33. “There is no future without education.” – Rosa Parks
34. “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.” – Rosa Parks
35. “One person can change the world.” – Rosa Parks
36. “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.” – Rosa Parks
37. “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.” – Rosa Parks
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