I Never Cared About Acceptance As Much

I Am Not Concerned With Being Liked Or Disliked. I Am Concerned With Being Respected

At The Beginning Of The World Series Of 1947, I Experienced A Completely New Emotion When The National Anthem Was Played. This Time, I Thought, It Is Being Played For Me, As Much As For Anyone Else.

I Had To Fight Hard Against Loneliness, Abuse, And The Knowledge That Any Mistakes I Made Would Be Magnified Because I Was The Only Black Man Out There... I Never Cared About Acceptance As Much As I Cared About Respect.

I'm Not Concerned With Your Liking Or Disliking Me... All I Ask Is That You Respect Me As A Human Being.

Negroes Aren't Seeking Anything Which Is Not Good For The Nation As Well As Ourselves. In Order For America To Be 100 Percent Strong -- Economically, Defensively And Morally -- We Cannot Afford The Waste Of Having Second- And Third-class Citizens.