His quote after losing the primary, "I'm not going to be out-niggered again." His other famous quote, from his 1963 inaugural address, "In the name of the greatest people that have ever trod this earth, I draw a line in the dust and toss the gauntlet before the feet of tyranny and I say, segregation now, segregation tomorrow, and segregation forever."

Much later in his career, he more or less repented. There are two Alabama community colleges named after him to this day.