“The way to right wrongs is to turn the light of truth upon them.”

I am only a mouthpiece through which to tell the story of lynching and I have told it so often that I know it by heart. I do not have to embellish; it makes its own way.

A Winchester rifle should have a place of honor in every black home.

Brave men do not gather by thousands to torture and murder a single individual, so gagged and bound he cannot make even feeble resistance or defense.

Virtue knows no color line.

In fact, for all kinds of offenses – and, for no offenses – from murders to misdemeanors, men and women are put to death without judge or jury; so that, although the political excuse was no longer necessary, the wholesale murder of human beings went on just the same.

Those who commit the murders write the reports.

The only times an Afro-American who was assaulted got away has been when he had a gun and used it in self-defense.

Somebody must show that the Afro-American race is more sinned against than sinning, and it seems to have fallen upon me to do so.

Our country’s national crime is lynching. It is not the creature of an hour, the sudden outburst of uncontrolled fury, or the unspeakable brutality of an insane mob.

When the white man who is always the aggressor knows he runs as great a risk of biting the dust every time his Afro-American victim does, he will have greater respect for Afro-American life.

The appeal to the white man’s pocket has ever been more effectual than all the appeals ever made to his conscience.

I came home every Friday afternoon, riding the six miles on the back of a big mule. I spent Saturday and Sunday washing and ironing and cooking for the children and went back to my country school on Sunday afternoon.

It is extremely rough to follow through with my goals, but I felt a responsibility to show the world what the African Americans are facing through this rough patch.

I shall feel I have done my race a service. Other considerations are of minor importance.

I honestly believe I am the only woman in the United States who ever traveled throughout the country with a nursing baby to make political speeches.

The white man’s victory soon became complete by fraud, violence, intimidation and murder.

My gold, my money couldn’t stop cancer from appearing on my body. If they can’t save me, then I don’t need them.

Smile, for everyone lacks self-confidence and more than any other one thing a smile reassures them.

I pity them and the nation dependent on such for its existence. I am thankful, however that, though such people make a great noise, the masses are not like them.

We seldom find people ungrateful so long as it is thought we can serve them.

Genius begins great works; labor alone finishes them.

You don’t look them in the eye and stop. Half the time, you’re listening, half the time, you are ignoring them.

I personally don’t like to go see romantic comedies. But people do want to see them, and they seem to want to see me in them.

I love Los Angeles, and it’s been very good to me, but if everyone is running around telling the stories, who’s living them?