It'll be the ballot or the bullet. It'll be liberty or it'll be death

I don't think that the objective of the American negro is white middle-class values because what are white middle-class values?

In order, in order to enforce you can't force people to act right toward each other. You can't force, you cannot legislate heart, conditions and attitudes.

I imagine that one of the biggest troubles with colleges is there are too many distractions, too much panty-raiding, fraternities, and boola-boola and all of that.

All of us were mischievous at some time or another, I more so than any of the rest. [My brother] Philbert and I kept a battle going. ... Even in our fighting, there was a feeling of brotherly union.

[The man] thinks he's being condemned because of his color but actually he's being condemned because of his deeds, his conscious behavior.

It is a time for martyrs now, and if I am to be one, it will be for the cause of brotherhood. That's the only thing that can save this country.