I Had Felt For A Long Time,

I Knew Someone Had To Take The First Step. So I Made Up My Mind Not To Move.

I Had Given Up My Seat Before, But This Day, I Was Especially Tired. Tired From My Work As A Seamstress, And Tired From The Ache In My Heart.

Without A Vision The People Perish, But Without Courage Dreams Die.

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.

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.