African American Love Quotes

I refuse to accept the view . . . that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality.

Revolution is a serious thing, the most serious thing about a revolutionarys life. When one commits oneself to the struggle, it must be for a lifetime.

One ever feels his twoness - an American, a Negro; two souls, two thoughts, two unreconciled strivings; two warring ideals in one dark body, whose dogged strength alone keeps it from being torn asunder.

The times may have changed, but the people are still the same. We're still looking for love, and that will always be our struggle as human beings.

You really can change the world if you care enough.

How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant of the weak and strong. Because someday in your life you will have been all of these.

A man who stands for nothing will fall for anything.

Love makes your soul crawl out from its hiding place.

I know why the caged bird sings.

I really don't think life is about the I-could-have-beens. Life is only about the I-tried-to-do. I don't mind the failure but I can't imagine that I'd forgive myself if I didn't try.

It's not the load that breaks you down, it's the way you carry it.

You're not obligated to win. You're obligated to keep trying to do the best you can every day.

I do not weep at the world I am too busy sharpening my oyster knife.

I am not tragically colored. There is no great sorrow dammed up in my soul, nor lurking behind my eyes. I do not mind at all.

You're either part of the solution or you're part of the problem.

Life is short, and it is up to you to make it sweet

Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.

Hate is too great a burden to bear. It injures the hater more than it injures the hated.

Defining myself, as opposed to being defined by others, is one of the most difficult challenges I face.

I am the dream and the hope of the slave

You have seen how a man was made a slave; you shall see how a slave was made a man.

Excellence is the best deterrent to racism or sexism.

I looked at my hands to see if I was the same person.

Racism is not an excuse to not do the best you can.

I felt somehow for many years that George Washington and Alexander Hamilton just left me out by mistake. But through the process of amendment, interpretation, and court decision, I have finally been included in 'We, the people.'

Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave, I am the dream and the hope of the slave. I rise. I rise. I rise.

What we need is not a history of selected races or nations, but the history of the world void of national bias, race hate, and religious prejudice.

Where there is no vision, there is no hope.

I was raised to believe that excellence is the best deterrent to racism or sexism. And that's how I operate my life.

Do not call for black power or green power. Call for brain power.

Never be limited by other people's limited imaginations.

Knowing what must be done does away with fear.

I have learned over the years that when one's mind is made up, this diminishes fear; knowing what must be done does away with fear.

Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.

Hate is too great a burden to bear.

Every great dream begins with a dreamer.

I have learned that success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has had to overcome while trying to succeed.

If we accept and acquiesce in the face of discrimination, we accept the responsibility ourselves. We should, therefore, protest openly everything ... that smacks of discrimination or slander.

I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality... I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word.

Unconditional love will have the final word in reality.

I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can't accept not trying.

If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude.