The Constitution of the United States knows no distinction between citizens on account of color. Neither does it know any difference between a citizen of a state and a citizen of the United States.

I was broken in body, soul, and spirit. My natural elasticity was crushed, my intellect languished, the disposition to read departed, the cheerful spark that lingered about my eye died; the dark night of slavery closed in upon me; and behold a man transformed into a brute!

Slaves were expected to sing as well as to work. A silent slave was not liked, either by masters or overseers.

Poverty, ignorance and degradation are the combined evils, these constitute the social disease of the free colored people of the US.

Slaves sing most when they are most unhappy. The songs of the slave represent the sorrows of his heart; and he is relieved by them, only as an aching heart is relieved by its tears.

Praying for freedom never did me any good til I started praying with my feet.

A little learning, indeed, may be a dangerous thing, but the want of learning is a calamity to any people.