James Meredith

“My motivation for being an activist is to have a good life. I have a good life, and I want everybody else to have a good life.”

“If an individual is not willing to die for his beliefs, he does not deserve to live.”

“I wanted to go to the University of Mississippi. It was the best in the state, and I was a citizen of the state. It was my right.”

“I consider myself a warrior. I have been in a war against white supremacy.”

“Nobody handed me anything. I fought for everything I got.”

“I am not for integration and I am not for segregation. I am for the human race, and I want to be treated as a human being.”

“One day I want to see my children and my grandchildren be able to go to any school they want to go to, and not have to be bothered about it being a black school or a white school.”