Black History Month Inspirational Quotes:

Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase.

- Martin Luther King, Jr.

topic: Motivational, Change, Positive, Faith And Family, Hope And Faith

Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.

- Harriet Tubman

topic: Inspirational, Life, Motivational, Impossible Dream, Inspirational Dream

Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.

- Barack Obama

source: June Jordan, “Poem For South African Women”

topic: Inspirational, Motivational, Change, Times Have Changed, Inspirational Presidential

I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can't accept not trying.

- Michael Jordan

source: "I Can't Accept Not Trying : Michael Jordan on the Pursuit of Excellence". Book by Michael Jordan (p. 129), 1994.

topic: Motivational, Change, Basketball, Favorite Sports, Young Entrepreneurs

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

- Rosa Parks

topic: Inspirational, Giving Up, Tired, Black History Inspirational, Black History Month

Hate is too great a burden to bear. It injures the hater more than it injures the hated.

- Coretta Scott King

source: "Understanding Cultural Diversity in Today's Complex World". Book by Leo Parvis, p. 54, 2010.

topic: Inspirational, Inspiring, Forgiveness, Importunate, Love And Hate

If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude.

- Maya Angelou

topic: Inspirational, Motivational, Change, Make People Feel Better, Live For Yourself

Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.

- James A. Baldwin

source: "As Much Truth As One Can Bear". The New York Times Book Review, January 14, 1962.

topic: Inspirational, Change, Leadership, Managing Change, Leadership And Change

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.

- Martin Luther King, Jr.

source: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (2012). “A Gift of Love: Sermons from Strength to Love and Other Preachings”, p.67, Beacon Press

topic: Inspirational, Life, Inspiring, Social Equality, Love And Hate

Each person must live their life as a model for others.

- Rosa Parks

topic: Life, Morning, Women, African American Women, Being A Role Model

In recognizing the humanity of our fellow beings, we pay ourselves the highest tribute.

- Thurgood Marshall

topic: Inspirational, Inspiring, Freedom, Black History Inspirational, Black History Month Inspirational

Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die, life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly.

- Langston Hughes

source: "Dreams" l. 1 (1929)

topic: Love, Inspirational, Broken Heart, Inspirational Dream, Columnists

We should emphasize not Negro History, but the Negro in history. What we need is not a history of selected races or nations, but the history of the world, void of national bias, race, hate, and religious prejudice. There should be no indulgence in undue eulogy of the Negro. The case of the Negro is well taken care of when it is shown how he has far influenced the development of civilization.

- Carter G. Woodson

source: Carter G. Woodson (2008). “Negro Makers of History”, p.20, Wildside Press LLC

topic: Religious, Hate, Taken, Inspirational History, Race In America

I have learned that success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has had to overcome while trying to succeed.

- Booker T. Washington

source: Booker T. Washington (1901). “An Autobiography: The Story of My Life and Work, the Original Brought Up-to-date with Over Half a Hundred Full Page Photo and Halftone Engravings and Drawings by Frank Beard”

topic: Inspirational, Life, Success, Best Success, Inspirational History

Never underestimate the power of dreams and the influence of the human spirit. We are all the same in this notion: The potential for greatness lives within each of us.

- Wilma Rudolph

source: "50 stunning Olympic moments No35: Wilma Rudolph's triple gold in 1960" by Rob Bagchi, www.theguardian.com. June 1, 2012.

topic: Inspirational, Motivational, Running, Influence And Power, Inspirational Athlete

Where there is no vision, there is no hope.

- George Washington Carver

topic: Inspirational, Hope, Black, Inspiring Leader, Mission And Vision

The time is always right to do what is right.

- Martin Luther King, Jr.

topic: Inspirational, Positive, Inspiring, Social Good, Social Service

We are the ones we've been waiting for.

- June Jordan

topic: Waiting, Times Have Changed, Inspirational Change, Inspirational Presidential, Time And Change

Returning hate for hate multiplies hate...

- Martin Luther King, Jr.

topic: Hate, Social Equality, Love And Hate, Make Peace Not War, Social Programs

You have seen how a man was made a slave; you shall see how a slave was made a man.

- Frederick Douglass

topic: Men, Black History, Slave, African American History, African American History Month

The battles that count aren't the ones for gold medals. The struggles within yourself - the invisible, inevitable battles inside all of us - that's where it's at.

- Jesse Owens

source: Biography/Personal Quotes, www.imdb.com.

topic: Inspirational, Motivational, Running, Inspirational Diversity, African American History

I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only increased my desire to be free, and set me to thinking of plans to gain my freedom. I have found that, to make a contented slave, it is necessary to make a thoughtless one. It is necessary to darken his moral and mental vision, and, as far as possible, to annihilate the power of reason. He must be able to detect no inconsistencies in slavery; he must be made to feel that slavery is right; and he can be brought to that only when he ceased to be a man.

- Frederick Douglass

topic: Men, Thinking, Vision, Black History Inspirational, Black History Month Inspirational

It's not the load that breaks you down, it's the way you carry it.

- Lou Holtz

topic: Inspirational, Way, Break, Inspirational Football, My Attitude

For I am my mother's daughter, and the drums of Africa still beat in my heart.

- Mary McLeod Bethune

topic: Inspirational, Mother, Daughter, Black History Inspirational, Black History Month

If we accept and acquiesce in the face of discrimination, we accept the responsibility ourselves. We should, therefore, protest openly everything ... that smacks of discrimination or slander.

- Mary McLeod Bethune

topic: Responsibility, Patriotism, Faces, Discrimination And Racism, Racism In America

I was raised to believe that excellence is the best deterrent to racism or sexism. And that's how I operate my life.

- Oprah Winfrey

topic: Inspirational, Life, Motivational, Inspirational History, Striving For Excellence

Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave, I am the dream and the hope of the slave. I rise. I rise. I rise.

- Maya Angelou

topic: Inspirational, Dream, Slave, Inspirational History, Daybreak

I looked at my hands to see if I was the same person. There was such a glory over everything. The sun came up like gold through the trees, and I felt like I was in heaven.

- Harriet Tubman

source: "Harriet, The Moses of Her People". Book by Sarah H. Bradford, 1886.

topic: Freedom, Hands, Heaven, African American History, African American History Month

I don't want a Black History Month. Black history is American history.

- Morgan Freeman

topic: Black History, Want, Months, Ending Racism, African American History

Whatever we believe about ourselves and our ability comes true for us.

- Susan L. Taylor

topic: Inspirational, Believe, Ability, Black History Inspirational, Black History Month

Love makes your soul crawl out from its hiding place.

- Zora Neale Hurston

topic: Love, Inspirational, Life, Souls In Love, I Love You Like

Black people have always been America's wilderness in search of a promised land.

- Cornel West

source: Cornel West (2000). “Race Matters”, p.16, Beacon Press

topic: Inspirational, America, Land, Black People, African American History

When I dare to be powerful - to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid.

- Audre Lorde

source: "The Cancer Journals". Book by Audre Lorde, 1980.

topic: Inspirational, Encouragement, Powerful, Powerful Women, Power And Control

The past is a ghost, the future a dream, and all we ever have is now.

- Bill Cosby

source: Bill Cosby (1987). “Time Flies”

topic: Love, Inspirational, Life, Past Future, Paranormal

You can be up to your boobies in white satin, with gardenias in your hair and no sugar cane for miles, but you can still be working on a plantation.

- Billie Holiday

source: Lady Sings the Blues ch. 11 (1956).

topic: Hair, White, Black History, Plantations, Sugar Cane

you must never be fearful about what you are doing when it is right.

- Rosa Parks

topic: Motivational, Change, Black History, Black History Inspirational, Black History Month Inspirational

Do not call for black power or green power. Call for brain power.

- Barbara Jordan

topic: Inspirational, Freedom, Memorable, Equality For All, Equality Of People

I learned to put my trust in God and to see Him as my strength. Long ago I set my mind to be a free person and not to give in to fear. I always felt that it was my right to defend myself if I could. I have learned over the years that when one's mind is made up, this diminishes fear; knowing what must be done does away with fear.

- Rosa Parks

topic: Long Ago, Years, Knowing, Empowering Women, I Am Strong

I do not weep at the world I am too busy sharpening my oyster knife.

- Zora Neale Hurston

source: World Tomorrow "How It Feels to Be Colored Me" (1928)

topic: Knives, Oysters, World, Lurking, African Women

The United States has been called the melting pot of the world. But it seems to me that the colored man either missed getting into the pot or he got melted down.

- Thurgood Marshall

topic: Freedom, Men, Melting, Melting Pot, Black History Inspirational

My father was a slave and my people died to build this country and I am going to stay here and have a part of it just like you.

- Paul Robeson

source: Testimony before House Un-American Activities Committee, 12 June 1956

topic: Country, Father, People, Civil Rights Movement, African American History

I felt that one had better die fighting against injustice than to die like a dog or rat in a trap. I had already determined to sell my life as dearly as possible if attacked. I felt if I could take one lyncher with me, this would even up the score a little bit.

- Ida B. Wells

source: Ida B. Wells (2013). “Crusade for Justice: The Autobiography of Ida B. Wells”, p.62, University of Chicago Press

topic: Dog, Fighting, Black History, Black History Month Inspirational

I am America. I am the part you won't recognize. But get used to me. Black, confident, cocky; my name, not yours; my religion, not yours; my goals, my own; get used to me.

- Muhammad Ali

topic: Cocky, Greatness, Names, Social History, Cassius Clay

Never be limited by other people's limited imaginations. If you adopt their attitudes, then the possibility won't exist because you'll have already shut it out...You can hear other people's wisdom, but you've got to re-evaluate the world for yourself.

- Mae Jemison

topic: Attitude, People, Imagination, Business Growth, African American History

Surround yourself with people who take their work seriously, but not themselves, those who work hard and play hard.

- Colin Powell

topic: Inspirational, Military, Work, Surround Yourself With Good People, Surround Yourself With Positive People

I am invisible, understand, simply because people refuse to see me. Like the bodiless heads you see sometimes in circus sideshows, it is as though I have been surrounded by mirrors of hard, distorting glass. When they approach me they see only my surroundings, themselves or figments of their imagination, indeed, everything and anything except me.

- Ralph Ellison

source: Ralph Ellison (2010). “Invisible Man”, p.28, Vintage

topic: Life, Glasses, Mirrors, American Literature, Figments

To be a poor man is hard, but to be a poor race in a land of dollars is the very bottom of hardships.

- W. E. B. Du Bois

source: The Souls of Black Folk ch. 1 (1903)

topic: Men, Land, Race, Riches And Poors, Black History Month Inspirational