I for one believe that if you give people a thorough understanding of what confronts them and the basic causes that produce it, they'll create their own program, and when the people create a program, you get action.

If you're not ready to die for it, put the word 'freedom' out of your vocabulary.

[At a young age] I had learned enough about women to know not to pressure them when they're thinking something out; they'll tell you when they're ready.

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

Our people have made the mistake of confusing the methods with the objectives. As long as we agree on objectives, we should never fall out with each other just because we believe in different methods, or tactics, or strategy. We have to keep in mind at all times that we are not fighting for separation. We are fighting for recognition as free humans in this society.

Once negro community recognize it as such, they can adopt the same measures against the community that harbors the criminals who are responsible for this activity.

America is such a paradoxical society, hypocritically paradoxical, that if you don't have some humor, you'll crack up.