Rosa Parks Receiving the 1993 Essence Award May 29, 1993

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Rosa Parks goes onstage to accept the Essence Award after being introduced by Eddie Murphy and hailed as a hero by Robert Kennedy, Jr. In her speech, she briefly reflects on the many hardships of the old days and the long strides that America has taken towards freedom and equality since.

Telepromptor

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Thank you. This is a wonderful evening. It's a long way from the suffering that we endured in Alabama, but for some reason, I had the faith and I prayed that we would one day not have to be insulted, mistreated and sometimes physically hurt and often killed because we just wanted to be free people. (applause)

We were so very fortunate that young Dr. Martin King, Jr. came on the scene at that time and that he, along with so many others, helped to make our protests the success that it was. We will never go back to where we once were, and I just say, this is a wonderful night and I shall never forget it, it shall live in my memory as long as I'm here. (applause) Thank you.

Courtesy of Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute for Self Development