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.

For a long time, I felt that was actually the best I could ever hope for - to pretend to be a good person - because I was quite the opposite.

I only knew that [as] I was being arrested it was the last time I would ever ride in humiliation of this kind,

If I went by all the rejection I've had in my career, I should have given up a long time ago.

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.

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.