--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Being dragged off that bus was worth it…" description: "\"Being dragged off that bus was worth it just to see Barack Obama become president, because so many others gave their lives and didn't get to see it, an..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21c/claudette-colvin-17532_barack-obama_being-dragged-off-that-bus-was-worth-it_2078862.jpg" --- # Being dragged off that bus was worth it just to see Barack… ![“Being dragged off that bus was worth it just to see Barack Obama become president, because so many others gave their lives and didn't get to see it, and I thank God for letting me see it.” quote by Claudette Colvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21c/claudette-colvin-17532_barack-obama_being-dragged-off-that-bus-was-worth-it_2078862.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21c/claudette-colvin-17532_barack-obama_being-dragged-off-that-bus-was-worth-it_2078862.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21c/claudette-colvin-17532_barack-obama_being-dragged-off-that-bus-was-worth-it_2078862.jpg) > “Being dragged off that bus was worth it just to see Barack Obama become president, because so many others gave their lives and didn't get to see it, and I thank God for letting me see it.” [Claudette Colvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudette-colvin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Witnessing historic change can justify personal sacrifice, honoring those who fought for progress. **In simple terms:** Seeing history happen can make hardships feel worthwhile. Key Takeaway Value the moments that reflect collective struggle. Themes civil rights sacrifice historical moments Mood proud reflective Type historical inspirational When to use this quote - voting rights marches - personal reflection - public speaking Key Concepts activism collective memory gratitude Questions to Reflect On - How does personal sacrifice shape collective memory? - What responsibilities come with witnessing history? A Different Perspective Personal risk may not always lead to desired outcomes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Barack obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/barack-obama/) [Dragged Bus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dragged-bus-4049785/) [Gave Lives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gave-lives-906375/) [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [Just Barack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just-barack-2798703/) [Others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/others/) [President Gave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president-gave-2024013/) [Thank god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thank-god/) [Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump/) ## Related quotes > [It's not just Barack Obama, but I doubt Jimmy Carter or Bill Clinton would have made it to the White House without Selma.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/it-s-not-just-barack-obama-but-i-doubt-jimmy-carter-or-bill-clinton/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [Everyone who has a pair of eyes in this country understands the racial tensions and the issues we have are very serious and they're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-rapinoe/everyone-who-has-a-pair-of-eyes-in-this-country-understands-the/) [Megan Rapinoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-rapinoe/) > [Jimmy Carter is not loved in Israel, and yet no American president gave them a greater gift than Jimmy Carter gave them with peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-wright/jimmy-carter-is-not-loved-in-israel-and-yet-no-american-president/) [Lawrence Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-wright/) > [“Bernie gave us something much more important than his candidacy for President; he gave us each other.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kacey-carpenter/bernie-gave-us-something-much-more-important-than-his-candidacy-for/) [Kacey Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kacey-carpenter/) > [The other night, the president gave a speech. He said, "children are our most prescious natural resource". I thought, "let's hope it never comes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emo-philips/the-other-night-the-president-gave-a-speech-he-said-children-are-our/) [Emo Philips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emo-philips/) > [For the first time in my adult lifetime, I'm really proud of my country ... not just because Barack has done well, but because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-le/for-the-first-time-in-my-adult-lifetime-i-m-really-proud-of-my/) [Michel'le](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-le/) > [I don't really feel McCain. It ain't just because Barack is black; he can make change. Just like Bush equals recession, Barack equals progression.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/young-jeezy/i-don-t-really-feel-mccain-it-ain-t-just-because-barack-is-black-he/) [Young Jeezy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/young-jeezy/) > [For the first time in my adult lifetime, I am really proud of my country. And not just because Barack has done well, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/for-the-first-time-in-my-adult-lifetime-i-am-really-proud-of-my/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [The only genuine elite is the elite of those men and women who gave their lives to justice and charity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sargent-shriver/the-only-genuine-elite-is-the-elite-of-those-men-and-women-who-gave/) [Sargent Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sargent-shriver/) > [At first blush, it seems that the young people who were shot down in the parking lot at the base of Blanket Hill gave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-kunstler/at-first-blush-it-seems-that-the-young-people-who-were-shot-down-in/) [William Kunstler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-kunstler/) > [Many gave their lives - the ultimate sacrifice - to defend the United States.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-tuberville/many-gave-their-lives-the-ultimate-sacrifice-to-defend-the-united/) [Tommy Tuberville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-tuberville/) > [There is no nobler profession, nor no greater calling, than to be among those unheralded many who gave and give their lives to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-overmire/there-is-no-nobler-profession-nor-no-greater-calling-than-to-be-among/) [Laurence Overmire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-overmire/) > [Sohan Singh Bhakna, Gurdit Singh, Teja Singh Sutantar, Banta Singh Sanghwal... they are my fathers. Those who gave their lives for freedom are my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gurpreet-ghuggi/sohan-singh-bhakna-gurdit-singh-teja-singh-sutantar-banta-singh/) [Gurpreet Ghuggi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gurpreet-ghuggi/) > [“The great men and women of history were not great because of what they earned and owned, but rather for what they gave their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/the-great-men-and-women-of-history-were-not-great-because-of-what/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [“It was the luckiest day of my life when those ants clogged up your fuel filter.” “Hm, maybe this was their plan all along,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-bailey/it-was-the-luckiest-day-of-my-life-when-those-ants-clogged-up-your/) [Connie Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-bailey/) ## More by Claudette Colvin > [I lost most of my friends. Their parents had told them to stay away from me, because they said I was crazy, I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudette-colvin/i-lost-most-of-my-friends-their-parents-had-told-them-to-stay-away/) [Claudette Colvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudette-colvin/) > [When I got to 10th grade at Booker T. Washington High, I had a teacher, Miss Geraldine Nesbitt. I think she came from New…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudette-colvin/when-i-got-to-10th-grade-at-booker-t-washington-high-i-had-a-teacher/) [Claudette Colvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudette-colvin/) > [I always tell young people to hold on to their dreams. And sometimes you have to stand up for what you think is right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudette-colvin/i-always-tell-young-people-to-hold-on-to-their-dreams-and-sometimes/) [Claudette Colvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudette-colvin/) > [I just couldn't move. History had me glued to the seat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudette-colvin/i-just-couldn-t-move-history-had-me-glued-to-the-seat/) [Claudette Colvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudette-colvin/) > [There were many African Americans - many, many stories similar to my story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudette-colvin/there-were-many-african-americans-many-many-stories-similar-to-my/) [Claudette Colvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudette-colvin/) > [I left the South in 1963 and was living in Morristown, New Jersey, when the March on Washington took place, so I watched it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudette-colvin/i-left-the-south-in-1963-and-was-living-in-morristown-new-jersey-when/) [Claudette Colvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudette-colvin/) > [I was ostracized by my community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudette-colvin/i-was-ostracized-by-my-community/) [Claudette Colvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudette-colvin/) > [When you've been abused daily and you see people humiliated and harassed, you just get tired of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudette-colvin/when-you-ve-been-abused-daily-and-you-see-people-humiliated-and/) [Claudette Colvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudette-colvin/) > [I wanted the young African-American girls also on the bus to know that they had a right to be there, because they had paid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudette-colvin/i-wanted-the-young-african-american-girls-also-on-the-bus-to-know/) [Claudette Colvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudette-colvin/) > [I became aware of how the world is and how the white establishment plays black people against each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudette-colvin/i-became-aware-of-how-the-world-is-and-how-the-white-establishment/) [Claudette Colvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudette-colvin/) > [A lot has changed since I grew up, but there's still a long way to go. I don't think we can move forward with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudette-colvin/a-lot-has-changed-since-i-grew-up-but-there-s-still-a-long-way-to-go/) [Claudette Colvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudette-colvin/) > [I wanted to be an attorney. My mother would say I never stopped talking. I always had a lot of questions to ask, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudette-colvin/i-wanted-to-be-an-attorney-my-mother-would-say-i-never-stopped/) [Claudette Colvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudette-colvin/) > [We were churchgoing people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudette-colvin/we-were-churchgoing-people/) [Claudette Colvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudette-colvin/) > [A lot of African American women wanted to emulate white women. But I said in my mind, rationally thinking, there is no way you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudette-colvin/a-lot-of-african-american-women-wanted-to-emulate-white-women-but-i/) [Claudette Colvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudette-colvin/) > [I'd like my grandchildren to be able to see that their grandmother stood up for something, a long time ago.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudette-colvin/i-d-like-my-grandchildren-to-be-able-to-see-that-their-grandmother/) [Claudette Colvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudette-colvin/) [Explore all 37 Claudette Colvin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudette-colvin/) ## More Barack obama quotes > [In 2008, Barack Obama did a phenomenal job of reaching out to minority groups, to younger people, and a lot of newer voters, Hispanics…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-p-bush/in-2008-barack-obama-did-a-phenomenal-job-of-reaching-out-to-minority/) [George P. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-p-bush/) > [There has certainly been ugly, right-wing hatred targeting Barack Obama.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/there-has-certainly-been-ugly-right-wing-hatred-targeting-barack-obama/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [As a Democrat following the 2012 presidential election closely, I was happy to see that South Carolina voted overwhelmingly for Newt Gingrich, a candidate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-schlossberg/as-a-democrat-following-the-2012-presidential-election-closely-i-was/) [Jack Schlossberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-schlossberg/) > [Just like Barack Obama, my views on gay marriage have evolved, and now I am a reluctant groom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-white/just-like-barack-obama-my-views-on-gay-marriage-have-evolved-and-now/) [Edmund White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-white/) > [It has been my honor to support and work with President Barack Obama, a man who has brought courage and character to the presidency.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-reid/it-has-been-my-honor-to-support-and-work-with-president-barack-obama/) [Harry Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-reid/) > [When the 2008 victory of Barack Obama and the defeat of grumpy old John McCain began looking, um, inevitable, I started fielding inquiries about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-perlstein/when-the-2008-victory-of-barack-obama-and-the-defeat-of-grumpy-old/) [Rick Perlstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-perlstein/) > [President Barack Obama is a doer. And we in America will do big things with him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hunt/president-barack-obama-is-a-doer-and-we-in-america-will-do-big-things/) [Jim Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hunt/) > [“Been living on this earth for so long now and still don't know what a happy life feels like. I'm ready for a change.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-anthony-burkett/been-living-on-this-earth-for-so-long-now-and-still-don-t-know-what-a/) [Jonathan Anthony Burkett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-anthony-burkett/) > [“Attacking a lightning rod doesn't make you lightning..." Regarding Barack Obama”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-rafael-cimino/attacking-a-lightning-rod-doesn-t-make-you-lightning-regarding-barack/) [T. Rafael Cimino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-rafael-cimino/) > [Tell me why the limousine fleet has increased by 42 percent since Barack Obama took office. Why are we spending taxpayers' money on that?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-neumann/tell-me-why-the-limousine-fleet-has-increased-by-42-percent-since/) [Mark Neumann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-neumann/) > [Trudeau, like President Barack Obama, is a champion of change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-klobuchar/trudeau-like-president-barack-obama-is-a-champion-of-change/) [Amy Klobuchar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-klobuchar/) > [There is the bipartisan pretense that the FBI is the only government agency in Washington that is above reproach. Yet, this is the agency…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-fitton/there-is-the-bipartisan-pretense-that-the-fbi-is-the-only-government/) [Tom Fitton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-fitton/) > [Income inequality has gotten worse under President Barack Obama.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-noah/income-inequality-has-gotten-worse-under-president-barack-obama/) [Timothy Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-noah/) > [For even the most seasoned observers of American politics, Barack Obama is a phenomenon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lammy/for-even-the-most-seasoned-observers-of-american-politics-barack/) [David Lammy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lammy/) > [When Caroline Kennedy endorsed Barack Obama in 2008 as her father's rightful heir, she laid upon him the mantle of Camelot and the enduring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kitty-kelley/when-caroline-kennedy-endorsed-barack-obama-in-2008-as-her-father-s/) [Kitty Kelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kitty-kelley/) [Browse all 363 Barack obama quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/barack-obama/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Being dragged off that bus was worth it just to see Barack Obama become president, because so many others gave their lives and didn't get to see it, and I thank God for letting me see it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Claudette Colvin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudette-colvin/being-dragged-off-that-bus-was-worth-it-just-to-see-barack-obama/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Barack obama" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudette-colvin/being-dragged-off-that-bus-was-worth-it-just-to-see-barack-obama/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21c/claudette-colvin-17532_barack-obama_being-dragged-off-that-bus-was-worth-it_2078862.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21c/claudette-colvin-17532_barack-obama_being-dragged-off-that-bus-was-worth-it_2078862.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21c/claudette-colvin-17532_barack-obama_being-dragged-off-that-bus-was-worth-it_2078862.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Being dragged off that bus was worth it just to see Barack Obama become president, because so many others…” — Claudette Colvin", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Claudette Colvin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudette-colvin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Being dragged off that bus was...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudette-colvin/being-dragged-off-that-bus-was-worth-it-just-to-see-barack-obama/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudette-colvin/being-dragged-off-that-bus-was-worth-it-just-to-see-barack-obama/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```