Success waits patiently for anyone who has the determination and strength to seize it.

Think about it: we went into slavery pagans; we came out Christians. We went into slavery pieces of property; we came out American citizens. We went into slavery with chains clanking about our wrists; we came out with the American ballot in our hands.

We must not only become reliable, progressive, skillful and intelligent, but we must keep the idea constantly before our youths that all forms of labor, whether with the hand or head, are honorable.

One man cannot hold another man down in the ditch without remaining down in the ditch with him.

Start where you are with what you have, knowing that what you have is plenty enough.

I believe that my race will succeed in proportion as it learns to do a common thing in an uncommon manner; learns to do a thing so thoroughly that no one can improve upon what it has done; learns to make its services of indispensable value.

I let no man drag me down so low as to make me hate him.