Empowering Quotes for Black History Month

The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. – Martin Luther King Jr.

We may encounter many defeats, but we must not be defeated. – Maya Angelou

Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. – Martin Luther King Jr.

The time is always right to do what is right. – Martin Luther King Jr.

Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome while trying to succeed. – Booker T. Washington

A man who stands for nothing will fall for anything. – Malcolm X

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

I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality. – Martin Luther King Jr.

It is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize, accept, and celebrate those differences. – Audre Lorde

If there is no struggle, there is no progress. – Frederick Douglass

Racism is not an excuse to not do the best you can. – Arthur Ashe

We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools. – Martin Luther King Jr.

Empowering Quotes for Black History Month part 2

Do not bring people in your life who weigh you down. And trust your instincts—good relationships feel good. They feel right. They don’t hurt. – Oprah Winfrey

There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you. – Maya Angelou

The cost of liberty is less than the price of repression. – W.E.B. Du Bois

Each time a woman stands up for herself, without knowing it possibly, without claiming it, she stands up for all women. – Maya Angelou

The power of imagination makes us infinite. – John Muir

I am my best work – a series of road maps, reports, recipes, doodles, and prayers from the front lines. – Audre Lorde

Believe in yourself and all that you are. Know that there is something inside you that is greater than any obstacle. – Christian D. Larson

If there is no struggle, there is no progress. – Frederick Douglass

We must never forget that Black history is American history. The achievements and contributions of Black individuals are woven into the fabric of our nation’s past and present. – Unknown

To deny people their human rights is to deny their very humanity. – Nelson Mandela

In a racist society, it is not enough to be non-racist, we must be anti-racist. – Angela Davis

The most common and harmful regret in life is not giving ourselves the chance to be who we truly are. – Unknown

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter. – Martin Luther King Jr.

Don’t let the fear of what could happen make nothing happen. – Unknown

We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty. – Maya Angelou

We can disagree and still love each other unless your disagreement is rooted in my oppression and denial of my humanity and right to exist. – James Baldwin

The time is always right to do what is right. – Martin Luther King Jr.

No person is your friend who demands your silence or denies your right to grow. – Alice Walker

We may encounter many defeats, but we must not be defeated. – Maya Angelou

The only way to deal with fear is to face it head-on. – Unknown

Success isn’t just about what you accomplish in your life. It’s about what you inspire others to do. – Unknown

If something needs fixing, then lace up your shoes and do some organizing. – Barack Obama

Do not bring people in your life who weigh you down. And trust your instincts—good relationships feel good. They feel right. They don’t hurt. – Oprah Winfrey

If you want to fly, you have to give up the things that weigh you down. – Toni Morrison

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter. – Martin Luther King Jr.

I would like to be known as a person who is concerned about freedom and equality and justice and prosperity for all people. – Rosa Parks

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

We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty. – Maya Angelou

We are not makers of history. We are made by history. – Martin Luther King Jr.

In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends. – Martin Luther King Jr.

It is not enough to be compassionate. You must act. – Dalai Lama

It’s a privilege to educate yourself about racism instead of experiencing it. – Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall. – Nelson Mandela