I have had more than half a century of such happiness. A great deal of worry and sorrow, too, but never a worry or a sorrow that was not offset by a purple iris, a lark, a bluebird, or a dewy morning glory.

Forgiving is not about forgetting, it's letting go of the hurt

When they learn of Shakespeare and Goethe, we must teach them of Pushkin and Dumas. . . . Whatever the white man has done, we have done, and often better.

[To the patronizing train conductor who had twice said, 'Auntie, give me your ticket':] Which of my sister's sons are you?

The true worth of a race must be measured by the character of its womanhood.

Faith is the first factor in a life devoted to service. Without it, nothing is possible. With it, nothing is impossible.

Education is the great American adventure, the world's most colossal democratic experiment.