“There are many reasons for why a man does what he does. To be himself he must be able to give it all. If a leader cannot give it all he cannot expect his people to give anything.”

There is enough love and good will in our movement to give energy to our struggle and still have plenty left over to break down and change the climate of hate and fear around us.

Self dedication is a spiritual experience.

The first principle of non-violent action is that of non-cooperation with everything humiliating.

Concentration is inspiration. You must be completely overtaken by your work and your subject. Only then do all your influences and experience come up to the surface.

It’s ironic that those who till the soil, cultivate and harvest the fruits, vegetables, and other foods that fill your tables with abundance have nothing left for themselves.

Our language is the reflection of ourselves. A language is an exact reflection of the character and growth of its speakers.

The love for justice that is in us is not only the best part of our being but it is also the most true to our nature.

Never, never is it possible to reach someone if you become angry or bitter only love and gentleness can do it. Maybe not this time but maybe the next or the hundredth time.

It takes a lot of punishment to be able to do anything to change the social order.

We cannot seek achievement for ourselves and forget about progress and prosperity for our community. Our ambitions must be broad enough to include the aspirations and needs of others, for their sakes and for our own.

You cannot uneducate the person who has learned to read.

You cannot oppress the people who are not afraid anymore.

I am convinced that the truest act of courage, the strongest act of manliness, is to sacrifice ourselves for others in a totally nonviolent struggle for justice. To be a man is to suffer for others. God help us to be men!

Nonviolence is really tough. You don’t practice nonviolence at conferences; you practice it on picket-lines.

The people united will never be defeated.

When any person suffers for someone in greater need, that person is a human.

My country has given me this beautiful dark skin, courage, and strength to stand up for what I believe in, and you’ve shown me how determined and courageous our people are, for continuing to stand strong in a world where not much is expected of us.

Whatever it is you’re seeking won’t come in the form you’re expecting.

Death is always sad, I suppose, to us who look forward to it: I expect it will seem very different when we can look back upon it.

Never let the things you want, make you forget the things you have.

You’re not asking for too much you’re asking the wrong person.

People don’t hear me talk. They don’t expect me to.

Miracles happen when we let go of our expectations & fully dedicated ourselves to the present.

Life is largely a matter of expectation.