“People who are unable to motivate themselves must be content with mediocrity, no matter how impressive their other talents.”

Pittsburgh entered the core of my heart when I was a boy and cannot be torn out.

If you want to be happy, set a goal that commands your thoughts, liberates your energy, and inspires your hopes

It marks a big step in your development when you come to realize that other people can help you do a better job than you could do alone.

Young man, make your name worth something.

A man who acquires the ability to take full possession of his own mind may take possession of anything else to which he is justly entitled.

Ninety percent of all millionaires become so through owing real estate.

I don’t believe in God. My God is patriotism. Teach a man to be a good citizen and you have solved the problem of life.

The first man gets the oyster, the second man gets the shell.

You are what you think. So just think big, believe big, act big, work big, give big, forgive big, laugh big, love big and live big.

tall oaks from little acorns grow.

You cannot push anyone up a ladder unless he is willing to climb a little.

The man who dies rich, dies disgraced

That best portion of a good man’s life— His little, nameless, unremembered acts Of kindness and of love.

He that cannot reason is a fool. He that will not is a bigot. He that dare not is a slave.

A library outranks any other one thing a community can do to benefit its people. It is a never failing spring in the desert.

We cannot afford to lose the Negro. We have urgent need of all and more. Let us therefore turn our efforts to making the best of him.