In this perilous world, if a black boy wanted to live a halfway normal life and die a natural death he had to learn early the art of how to get along with white folks.

The tragedy of life doesn't lie in not reaching your goal. The tragedy lies in having no goal to reach. It isn't a calamity to die with dreams unfulfilled, but it is a calamity not to dream...It is not a disgrace not to reach the stars, but it is a disgrace to have no stars to reach for. Not failure, but low aim is sin.

You have the ability, now apply yourself.

I believe everyone is born into the world to do something unique and distinctive.

It isn't a disgrace not to reach the stars, but it is a disgrace to have no stars to reach for.

The creation of the spiritual was no accident. It was a creation born of necessity, so that the slave might more adequately adjust himself to the conditions of the New World.

Whatever you do,strive to do it so well that no man living and no man dead and no man yet to be born could do it any better.