For centuries, Europeans dominated the African continent. The white man arrogated to himself the right to rule and to be obeyed by the non-white; his mission, he claimed, was to "civilize" Africa. Under this cloak, the Europeans robbed the continent of vast riches and inflicted unimaginable suffering on the African people.

But I think that of all the literature that I studied, the book that did more than any other to fire my enthusiasm was The Philosophy and Opinions of Marcus Garvey published by his wife.

No people without a government of their own can expect to be treated on the same level as people of independent sovereign states. It is far better to be free to govern or misgovern yourself than to be governed by anybody else . . .

It is far better to be free to govern or misgovern yourself than to be governed by anybody else

We have awakened. We will not sleep anymore. Today, from now on, there is a new African in the world!

I am not African because I was born in Africa but because Africa was born in me.

Freedom is not something that one people can bestow on another as a gift. Thy claim it as their own and none can keep it from them.