Yale librarian names 'I can't breathe' quote of the year

Yale librarian names 'I can't breathe' quote of the year
(Image credit: Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

The phrase "I can't breathe" is everywhere as 2014 winds down. The line was Eric Garner's last words, which he uttered as a Staten Island cop held him in a chokehold. Now protestors nationwide chant it and athletes warm-up in T-shirts bearing the quote.

The line resonated with Yale Law Library associate director Fred Shapiro, who made a last-minute revision to his 2014 list of notable quotes, The Washington Post reports.

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Julie Kliegman

Julie Kliegman is a freelance writer based in New York. Her work has appeared in BuzzFeed, Vox, Mental Floss, Paste, the Tampa Bay Times and PolitiFact. Her cats can do somersaults.