Black History Month is the time to honor the resilience and contributions of Black individuals throughout history. From civil rights leaders to athletes, and artists their impact is great.
We should not forget the struggles of the past, but we can’t just stop there. We must embrace the present and push forward to a brighter future. Empowering words from the black leaders remind us of how far we’ve come and how much more there is to do.
That’s why I’ve collected the most Inspirational Black History Month Quotes to acknowledge and appreciate their struggles.
Read these inspiring quotes and reflect on them to move forward.
Most Inspirational Black History Month Quotes
“Never be limited by other people’s limited imaginations.” — Dr. Mae Jemison
“I have learned over the years that when one’s mind is made up, this diminishes the fear; knowing what must be done does away with fear.” — Rosa Parks
“Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.” — Harriet Tubman
“Defining myself, as opposed to being defined by others, is one of the most difficult challenges I face.” — Carol Moseley-Braun
“There is always light, if only we’re brave enough to see it. If only we’re brave enough to be it.” — Amanda Gorman
“If you have no confidence in self, you are twice defeated in the race of life.” — Marcus Garvey
“The soul that is within me no man can degrade.” — Frederick Douglass
Best Civil Rights Movement Quotes
“You can kill a man but you can’t kill an idea.” — Medgar Evers
“We have to talk about liberating minds as well as liberating society.” — Angela Davis
“The time is always right to do what is right.” — Martin Luther King Jr.
“If there is no struggle, there is no progress.” — Frederick Douglass
“I had no idea that history was being made. I was just tired of giving up.” — Rosa Parks
“Find a way to get in the way.” — John Lewis
“Racism should never have happened, and so you don’t get a cookie for reducing it.” — Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
“We will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.” — Martin Luther King Jr.
“Freedom is never given; it is won.” — A. Philip Randolph
“Never, ever be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble, necessary trouble.” — John Lewis
“Truth is powerful and it prevails.” — Sojourner Truth
“There is a higher law than the law of government. That’s the law of conscience.” — Stokely Carmichael
Powerful Words from Civil Rights Leaders
“If you want to be free, you have to let go of fear.” — Assata Shakur
“We may have all come on different ships, but we’re in the same boat now.” — Martin Luther King Jr.
“Hate is too great a burden to bear. It injures the hater more than it injures the hated.” — Coretta Scott King
“I am no longer accepting the things I cannot change. I am changing the things I cannot accept.” — Angela Davis
“If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair.” — Shirley Chisholm
“You can’t separate peace from freedom because no one can be at peace unless he has his freedom.” — Malcolm X
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” — Martin Luther King Jr.
“When we stand together, there is nothing we cannot accomplish.” — Bernie Sanders (inspired by MLK)
“I had reasoned this out in my mind: There was one of two things I had a right to—liberty, or death.” — Harriet Tubman
“I am for truth, no matter who tells it. I am for justice, no matter who it is for or against.” — Malcolm X
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” — Martin Luther King Jr.
“Struggle is a never-ending process. Freedom is never really won; you earn it and win it in every generation.” — Coretta Scott King
“Justice is what love looks like in public.” — Cornel West
“Character is power.” — Booker T. Washington
“Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.” — James Baldwin
Black History Month Quotes from Iconic Leaders
“I am a product of every other black woman before me who has done or said anything worthwhile. Recognizing that I am part of history is what allows me to soar.” — Oprah Winfrey
“We have always been wonderful. I see us reflected in the world’s most heavenly things. Black is king. We were beauty before they knew what beauty was.” — Beyoncé Knowles
“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.” — Barack Obama
“Almost always, the creative dedicated minority has made the world better.” — Martin Luther King Jr.
“If you know whence you came, there is really no limit to where you can go.” — James Baldwin
“Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave, I am the dream and the hope of the slave. I rise. I rise. I rise.” — Maya Angelou
You May Also Like: “55 Most Inspiring and Famous Oprah Winfrey Quotes of All Time“
Quotes from Influential Black Writers
“A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin, and culture is like a tree without roots.” — Marcus Garvey
“The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any.” — Alice Walker
“We write because we believe the human spirit cannot be tamed and should not be trained.” — Nikki Giovanni
“Your silence will not protect you.” — Audre Lorde
“You wanna fly, you got to give up the thing that weighs you down.” — Toni Morrison
“History has shown us that courage can be contagious, and hope can take on a life of its own.” — Michelle Obama
“If you are always trying to be normal, you will never know how amazing you can be.” — Maya Angelou
“The function of freedom is to free someone else.” — Toni Morrison
“If you know whence you came, there are absolutely no limitations to where you can go.” — James Baldwin
“You don’t have to be famous. You just have to make your mother and father proud of you.” — Meryl Streep (inspired by Black leaders)
Motivational Quotes from Legendary Black Athletes
“Hard work beats talent when talent fails to work hard.” — Kevin Durant
“He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.” — Muhammad Ali
“One important key to success is self-confidence. An important key to self-confidence is preparation.” — Arthur Ashe
“You have to believe in yourself when no one else does – that makes you a winner right there.” — Venus Williams
“Define yourself and never be afraid of what people think about you.” — Serena Williams
“Greatness is not measured by what a man or woman accomplishes, but by the opposition they have overcome.” — Dorothy Height
“The will must be stronger than the skill.” — Muhammad Ali
“Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen.” — Michael Jordan
“Champions keep playing until they get it right.” — Billie Jean King (inspired by Black athletes)
“It’s not whether you get knocked down; it’s whether you get up.” — Vince Lombardi (quoted often by Black athletes)
Inspirational Black History Month Quotes to Inspire Students
“Work hard in silence, let success make the noise.” — Frank Ocean
“Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die, life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly.” — Langston Hughes
“Education is our passport to the future.” — Malcolm X
“Develop a passion for learning. If you do, you will never cease to grow.” — Anthony J. D’Angelo
“Do not call for black power or green power. Call for brain power.” — Barbara Jordan
“The only limit to your impact is your imagination and commitment.” — Tony Robbins
“A mind is a terrible thing to waste.” — United Negro College Fund
“Knowledge makes a man unfit to be a slave.” — Frederick Douglass
“Success doesn’t come to you, you go to it.” — Marva Collins
“The future belongs to those who prepare for it today.” — Malcolm X
“Education must not simply teach work – it must teach Life.” — W. E. B. Du Bois
“There’s no excuse for the young people not knowing who the heroes and heroines are or were.” — Nina Simone
This post is a thorough guide on the topic; it’s a goldmine of information.
I appreciate your honesty and candidness in sharing your insights.