I pity from the bottom of my heart any nation or body of people that is so unfortunate as to get entangled in the net of slavery.

Success in life is founded upon attention to the small things rather than to the large things; to the every day things nearest to us rather than to the things that are remote and uncommon.

If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else.

The actual sight of a first-class house that a Negro has built is ten times more potent than pages of discussion about a house that he ought to build, or perhaps could build.

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

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

The wisest among my race understand that agitations of social equality is the extremist folly, and that progress in the enjoyment of all privileges that will come to us must be the result of severe and constant struggle rather than of artificial forcing.