"The bus was a symbol of the segregated South, and my refusal to move was a small act of defiance that sparked a movement."

"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, or no more tired than I usually was at the end of a working day. I was not old, al…"

"I had no idea when I refused to give up my seat on that Montgomery bus that my small action would help put an end to the segregation laws in the South."

"I knew someone had to take the first step and I was just one of those people."

"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."