When a man knows that the abstraction ten exists - nothing on earth can stop him from looking for the fact of eleven.

Big Walter used to say, he'd get right wet in the eyes sometimes, lean his head back with the water standing in his eyes and say, 'Seem like God didn't see fit to give the black man nothing but dreams - but He did give us children to make them dreams seem worth while.'

The thing that makes you exceptional, if you are at all, is inevitably that which must also make you lonely.

I care. I care about it all. It takes too much energy not to care.

Once upon a time freedom used to be life-now it's money. I guess the world really do change.

I think that the human race does command its own destiny and that that destiny can eventually embrace the stars.

...Negroes must concern themselves with every single means of struggle: legal, illegal, passive, active, violent and non- violent.... They must harass, debate, petition, boycott, sing hymns, pray on steps--and shoot from their windows when the racists come cruising through their communities.... The acceptance of our condition is the only form of extremism which discredits us before our children [ellipses in source].