It's not easy to be a martyr in the field of race relations.

I am not concerned with being liked or disliked. I am concerned with being respected

The right of every American to first-class citizenship is the most important issue of our time.

You're going to be a great player, kid.

I know that I am a black man in a white world. . . I know that I never had it made.

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.

It kills me to lose. If I'm a troublemaker, and I don't think that my temper makes me one, then it's because I can't stand losing. That's the way I am about winning, all I ever wanted to do was finish first.