When I was in prison, I read an article - don't be shocked when I say I was in prison. You're still in prison. That's what America means: prison.

The thing that has made the so-called Negro in America fail, more than any other thing, is your, my, lack of knowledge concerning history. We know less about history than anything else.

Where the really sincere white people have got to do their 'proving' of themselves is not among the black victims, but out on the battle lines of where America's racism really is - and that's in their own home communities.

We need more light about each other. Light creates understanding, understanding creates love, love creates patience, and patience creates unity.

My family was so poor we were close to eating the holes inside of doughnuts.

We cannot think of being acceptable to others until we have first proven acceptable to ourselves.

The Negro fought and bled and died in every war the white man waged, and he still won't give you justice. You nursed his baby and cleaned behind his wife, and he still won't give you freedom; you turned the other cheek while he lynched you and raped your women, but he still won't give you equality.