The Only Tired I Was, Was Tired

I Thought Of Emmett Till, And When The Bus Driver Ordered Me To Move To The Back, I Just Couldn’t Move.

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.

The Time Had Just Come When I Had Been Pushed As Far As I Could Stand To Be Pushed.

Our Mistreatment Was Just Not Right, And I Was Tired Of It.

My Only Concern Was To Get Home After A Hard Day's Work.