“Stand for something or you will fall for anything. Today’s mighty oak is yesterday’s nut that held its ground.”

There were times when it would have been easy to fall apart or to go in the opposite direction, but somehow I felt that if I took on more step, someone would come along to join me.

The time had just come when I had been pushed as far as I could stand to be pushed.

Racial pride and self-dignity were emphasized in my family and community.

Memories of our lives, of our works and our deeds will continue in others.

As long as there is unemployment, war, crime and all things that go to the infliction of man’s inhumanity to man, regardless – there is much to be done, and people need to work together.

I have spent over half my life teaching love and brotherhood, and I feel that it is better to continue to try to teach or live equality and love than it would be to have hatred or prejudice.

Whatever my individual desires were to be free, I was not alone. There were many others who felt the same way.

I’m tired of being treated like a second-class citizen.

To bring about change, you must not be afraid to take the first step. We will fail when we fail to try.

That was a difference between black slaves and white indentured servants. Black slaves were usually not allowed to keep their names, but were given new names by their owners.

It takes more than one person to bring about peace – it takes all of us.

God has always given me the strength to say what is right.

I talked and talked of everything I know about the white man’s inhuman treatment of the Negro.

I had no idea that history was being made. I was just tired of giving up.

I would like to be remembered as a person who wanted to be free, so other people would be also free.

You cannot always control the powers-that-be. You just have to have faith and stand by the things you believe in.