"The sit-ins woke me up," says Moses in his book, remembering the motivation for work his work in Mississippi. The statement made by the young students of the was heard loud and clear throughout the country, and eventually this statement proved to mark the beginning of a national Movement, which would turn the South's political structure inside out. Bob Moses arrived on the Southern scene in the wake of these powerful sit-ins, seeking to organize and mobilize the Black communities of depressed Mississippi counties.

Moses came into Mississippi with an inspiration to initiate radical change. Taking 's definition of the word, Moses asserts that being radical is "facing a system that does not lend itself to your needs and devising a means by which you change that system." Moses began his work with the people of Mississippi by asking questions: "Who can be a citizen? Who can vote? What are the requirements? What is the vote for? Why do we want it in the first place? What must we do right now to ensure that when we have the vote it will work for us to benefit our communities?" Moses realized the emergence of the radical concept (radical to the South) of "one person one vote." Asking these questions of Blacks in Mississippi allowed Moses to recognize the different realm of thought in which he would have to operate to connect with this totally different world.

Moses' motivation was also drawn largely from the strength of his family. In his book, he mentions that his uncle and father have taught him to "look through the lenses of the 'common person' at the life all around (him)." Moses was able to derive his quiet, calm nature from his mother. Her early passing unleashed Moses' work on the Movement.

As Moses began his work in the Mississippi, there were distinct educational and personal influences changing the way he would work with people. was a large factor in the Moses' formation of ideas and methods. She worked with him in the office, when Moses first became involved with the Movement in the South. Baker believed in the strength of community, and in raising leaders for the Movement from the people themselves. She worked for a long time with the , but eventually moved away to focus on her own goals for the Movement. Moses took these beliefs, and brought them together with the pacifist, existentialist philosophies of Camus. These were the influential forces behind Moses' work in Mississippi. Baker's ideas stuck with Moses throughout his life, even as he initiated and implemented the Algebra Project nation wide.