I think that Abraham Lincoln probably did more to trick negroes than any other man in history.

The short-range involves the long-range. Immediate steps have to be taken to reeducate our people into the, a more real view of political, economic, and social conditions in this country, and our ability in, in a self- improvement program to gain control politically over every community in which we predominate, and also over the economy of that same community as here in Harlem. Instead of all the stores in Harlem being owned by white people, they should be owned and operated by black people.

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

No sane black man really wants integration! No sane white man really wants integration!

You'd have civil war. You'd have a race war in this country.

To me, political action involves making the politician who represents us know that he either produces or he is out, and he's out one way or another.

So early in my life, I had learned that if you want something, you had better make some noise.