750 Best Strong Black King Quotes: Powerful (2023)
1. ”Don’t listen to those who say YOU CAN’T. Listen to the voice inside yourself that says, I CAN.” - Shirley Chisolm
2. “The way to right wrongs is to turn the light of truth upon them.” —Ida B. Wells
3. “Did you know that the human voice is the only pure instrument? That it has notes no other instrument has? It’s like being between the keys of a piano.” —Nina Simone
4. “You should never discount anything. I think so many of us tend to be comfortable with what we’re not and complacent with what we’re not. You really don’t have to be. I didn’t solve world peace or anything — it’s not like that. But something that felt so small and intangible ended up being tangible. And that’s just the coolest thing in the world.” —Issa Rae
5. Strive to be a strong black king. Tell the truth and show your respect for others. A black king is born with an instinct to protect his women and/or children.
6. “Commit yourself to the noble struggle for equal rights. You will make a greater person of yourself, a greater nation of your country, and a finer world to live in.”
7. “The beauty of genuine brotherhood and peace is more precious than diamonds or silver or gold.” (Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech, 1964.)
8. Black king is a man who has confidence and power. He is a human being who is self-esteem, unapologetic and courageous, who places his ideas first and who is always in high regard.
9. “Before I was married to Martin and became a King, I was a proud Scott, shaped by my mother's discernment and my father's strength.” - Coretta Scott King
10. The black king symbolises fortune and power, with the boldness and tenacity to change your luck.
11. Black is beautiful and powerful. You’re a black man, so own it!
12. Everybody can be great… because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace – a soul generated by love.”
13. “It is in collectivities that we find reservoirs of hope and optimism.” - Angela Davis
14. “Ours is not the struggle of one day, one week, or one year. Ours is not the struggle of one judicial appointment or presidential term. Ours is the struggle of a lifetime, or maybe even many lifetimes, and each one of us in every generation must do our part.” – John Lewis
15. “Be a bush if you can’t be a tree. If you can’t be a highway, just be a trail. If you can’t be a sun, be a star. For it isn’t by size that you win or fail. Be the best of whatever you are.” (Speech at Glenville High School, 1967.)
16. “There is nothing more tragic than to find an individual bogged down in the length of life, devoid of breadth.”
17. “We need leaders not in love with money but in love with justice – not in love with publicity but in love with humanity.”
18. “I say to you today, my friends, that in spite of the difficulties and frustrations of the moment, I still have a dream.” (“I Have a Dream,” 1963.)
19. “There are still many causes worth sacrificing for, so much history yet to be made.” —Michelle Obama
20. “The cost of liberty is less than the price of repression.” —W.E.B. Du Bois
21. “Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase.”
22. Our nation is a rainbow – red, yellow, brown, black, and white – and we’re all precious in God’s sight. – Jesse Jackson
23. “I have a dream” speech quotes
24. No matter how complex the problem may be, people turn to the black king, who has no boundaries and is unbound by conventional thinking.
25. “Living simply makes loving simple.” —bell hooks
26. Black kings are very well-mannered. They have great respect for their elders, family, and friends.
27. You’re not obligated to win. You’re obligated to keep trying to do the best you can every day. – Marian Wright Edelman
28. “Belief in oneself and knowing who you are, I mean, that’s the foundation for everything great.” – Jay-Z
29. “instead of letting your hardships and failures discourage or exhaust you, let them inspire you let them make you even hungrier to succeed” —michelle obama
30. A strong black king does not know karate but never goes down in a fight.
31. 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. – George Washington Carver
32. “It is so liberating to really know what I want, what truly makes me happy, what I will not tolerate. I have learned that it is no one else’s job to take care of me but me.” —Beyoncé
33. A strong black man does not beat his wife, but he won’t let her cheat on him either.
34. A real man is one who never has to be told how much he means to somebody.
35. “I came to the conclusion that there is an existential moment in your life when you must decide to speak for yourself; nobody else can speak for you.”
36. “Your calling isn’t something that somebody can tell you about. It’s what you feel. It is the thing that gives you juice. The thing that you are supposed to do. And nobody can tell you what that is. You know it inside yourself.” - Oprah Winfrey
37. I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain and the crooked places will be made straight and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together.
38. “People asked me how was I able to do this and raise four children at the same time. I can only reply that when God calls you to a great task, he provides you with the strength to accomplish what he has called you to do . . .” - Coretta Scott King
39. “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
40. “I was once afraid of people saying, “Who does she think she is?” Now I have the courage to stand and say, “This is who I am.” - Oprah Winfrey
41. “We will all, at some point, encounter hurdles to gaining access and entry, moving up and conquering self-doubt; but on the other side is the capacity to own opportunity and tell our own story.” – Stacey Abrams
42. “Don’t ever make decisions based on fear. Make decisions based on hope and possibility. Make decisions based on what should happen, not what shouldn’t." - Michelle Obama
43. The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.
44. The black king is a born leader who knows how to be the centre of attention. He knows how to get what he wants and enjoys the comforts of success.
45. “Perseverance is my motto.” - Madam CJ Walker
46. “I would like to be known as a person who is concerned about freedom and equality and justice and prosperity for all people.” ― Rosa Parks said on her 77th birthday
47. The strong black man is someone who can lead a room full of people.
48. “Never, ever, let them see you sweat, negra. Fight until you can’t breathe, and if you have to forfeit, you forfeit smiling, make them think you let them win.”―Elizabeth Acevedo, Clap When You Land
49. A real man is someone who can hold it together when everyone around him is falling apart. A real man doesn’t run from the things that frighten him.
50. “Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.” —James Baldwin
51. A strong black king’s work ethic and loyalty are unmatched, making him one of the most respectable men in the world.
52. The strong African man doesn’t have to be mean. He knows how to use his voice as a weapon while he’s still got it.
53. “Hate is too great a burden to bear. I have decided to love.” (“Where Do We Go From Here?” 1967.)
54. “One day our descendants will think it incredible that we paid so much attention to things like the amount of melanin in our skin or the shape of our eyes or our gender instead of the unique identities of each of us as complex human beings.” – Franklin Thomas
55. “If we do not know how to meaningfully talk about racism, our actions will move in misleading directions.” – Angela Davis
56. A black king fights battles with his mind, not weapons. He is humble yet strong, ambitious, and determined. But it never occurred to him that because of his skin tone, he may be given power or opportunity at the expense of another black man that worked equally hard as he did in life.
57. “You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them.” - Maya Angelou
58. Through his actions, he inspired others. He showed a generation that excellence and success are possible through hard work and perseverance.
59. A strong black king is a man who practices his faith, respects other people, and is dedicated to something bigger than himself.
60. “Challenges are gifts that force us to search for a new center of gravity. Don’t fight them. Just find a new way to stand.” —Oprah Winfrey
61. A black king wears his crown with pride because his people have always been royalty in their minds.
62. “We are not makers of history. We are made by history.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.
63. It is time for parents to teach young people early on that in diversity there is beauty and there is strength. We all should know that diversity makes for a rich tapestry, and we must understand that all the threads of that tapestry are equal in value no matter their color. – Maya Angelou
64. “I had no idea that history was being made. I was just tired of giving up.” – Rosa Parks
65. A black king exudes charisma and courage. He shows the world the true African warrior spirit. He conquers problems with ease and doesn’t apologize for anything that he does because his actions are justified by his beliefs.
66. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence.
67. A strong black king is a man of peace, and respect, willing to listen and learn from others. He’s a good listener and will gladly advise his fellow friends.
68. “We shall overcome because the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” (Washington National Cathedral, 1968.)
69. “For years now, I have heard the word “Wait!” It rings in the ear of every Negro with piercing familiarity. This “Wait” has almost always meant “Never.” We must come to see, with one of our distinguished jurists, that “justice too long delayed is justice denied.”
70. “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”
71. ”You don’t make progress by standing on the sidelines, whimpering and complaining. You make progress by implementing ideas.” - Shirley Chisolm
72. “I need to see my own beauty and to continue to be reminded that I am enough, that I am worthy of love without effort, that I am beautiful, that the texture of my hair and that the shape of my curves, the size of my lips, the color of my skin, and the feelings that I have are all worthy and okay.” —Tracee Ellis Ross
73. We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.
74. A strong black king is a man who is willing to accept the challenge of change and innovation, who makes himself relevant by giving up all that on which the past generation thrived for a better future for his children and grandchildren.
75. “If there is no struggle, there is no progress.” – Frederick Douglass
76. “Freeing yourself was one thing; claiming ownership of that freed self was another.” – Toni Morrison
77. 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
78. “We must walk on in the days ahead with an audacious faith in the future.” (“Where Do We Go From Here?” 1967.)
79. “There is no better than adversity. Every defeat, every heartbreak, every loss, contains its own seed, its own lesson on how to improve your performance the next time.” – Malcolm X
80. The moral arc of the universe bends at the elbow of justice.
81. “one of the hardest things in life to learn are which bridges to cross and which bridges to burn”—oprah winfrey
82. A strong black man is like a lion, beautiful and mighty. A weak black man is like a sheep, easily led.
83. “Almost always, the creative dedicated minority has made the world better.” —Martin Luther King Jr.
84. “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.” —Rosa Parks
85. The strong black man is someone who is unapologetically himself.
86. Out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope.
87. A black king can change our world with his words, thoughts, presence, and actions.
88. A black king is a man who has chosen to be a force for good in this world, who is not defined by his social status, wealth, or accomplishments, but by his character and the choices, he makes that reflect honour, dignity, and integrity.
89. “I’ve come to believe that each of us has a personal calling that’s as unique as a fingerprint – and that the best way to succeed is to discover what you love and then find a way to offer it to others in the form of service, working hard, and also allowing the energy of the universe to lead you.” - Oprah Winfrey
90. “Go to work in the morn of a new creation…until you have…reached the height of self-progress, and from that pinnacle bestow upon the world a civilization of your own.” —Marcus Garvey
91. Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.
92. “We must always attempt to lift as we climb.” - Angela Davis
93. “Your willingness to look at your darkness is what empowers you to change.” —Iyanla Vanzant
94. “I’d like them to say that Shirley Chisholm had guts. That’s how I’d like to be remembered.” - Shirley Chisolm
95. “Jails and prisons are designed to break human beings, to convert the population into specimens in a zoo — obedient to our keepers, but dangerous to each other.” — Angela Davis, Angela Davis: An Autobiography
96. “Life has two rules: number 1, never quit! Number 2, always remember rule number one.” —Duke Ellington
97. “I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.’”
98. “If you can’t fly — then run. If you can’t run — then walk. If you can’t walk — then crawl. But whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward.”
99. The strongest, bravest, smartest man you will ever meet is the black African man who has experienced his fears and failures the most.
100. “Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to be. This is the interrelated structure of reality.”
101. “One has not only a legal, but a moral responsibility to obey just laws. Conversely, one has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws.”
102. “They will not be judged by the color of there skin but the content of their character”
103. “Those who say it can't be done are usually interrupted by others doing it.” —James Baldwin
104. The strong, silent black man – all that strength comes from knowing what he wants and being willing to work for it.
105. “True peace is not merely the absence of tension; it is the presence of justice.” (Stride Toward Freedom, 1957.) Anyone can battle against injustice with these small ways to fight racism every day.
106. You’vegot to be intelligent, hard-working and committed. Most importantly, you have to be willing to work hard. These are the fundamental characteristics of a strong black man.
107. “In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.”
108. Fearless and unrivalled, the black king is a true leader who is confident and trustworthy. He inspires loyalty and trust in those who look up to him.
109. ”When fear rushed in, I learned how to hear my heart racing but refused to allow my feelings to sway me. That resilience came from my family. It flowed through our bloodline.” - Coretta Scott King
110. “Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die, life is a broken winged bird that cannot fly.” —Langston Hughes
111. The nature of a black African man is powerful. A black king is a man who sees no limitations, lives without boundaries, he accepts nothing less than greatness.
112. “When I’m not feeling my best I ask myself, ‘What are you gonna do about it?’ I use the negativity to fuel the transformation into a better me.” - Beyoncé Knowles
113. “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” (From a sermon delivered in Selma, Alabama, 1965.)
114. If one loves an individual merely on account of his friendliness, he loves him for the sake of the benefits to be gained from the friendship, rather than for the friend’s own sake. Consequently, the best way to assure oneself that love is disinterested is to have love for the enemy-neighbor from whom you can expect no good in return, but only hostility and persecution.
115. Strength, power, and courage are not things that come from lifting weights. They come from the inside of a black man.
116. “The soul that is within me no man can degrade.” – Frederick Douglass
117. “Let no man pull you so low as to hate him.”
118. A strong black man is like a bohemian in the world who doesn’t care and won’t let anyone tell him what he can and cannot do.
119. “There comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but he must take it because conscience tells him it is right.”
120. A black king will not use the art of diplomacy to get out of his obligations. He is always ready to do what he has said, and he will defend it with whatever means and resources available.
121. The strong black man will fight for what is his and will never stop fighting until he has what he deserves – a life in the spotlight.
122. “There comes a time when people get tired of being pushed out of the glittering sunlight of life’s July and left standing amid the piercing chill of an alpine November.”
123. He loves to shock in all he does. He has a bold personality and outsmarts anyone who stands in his way.
124. “Dear Young Black Males… Always remember to hold your head up high, and NEVER doubt who you are. Believe in yourself SO much that other people’s negative words, opinions, and energy won’t discourage or hinder you.”
125. “Press forward at all times, climbing forward toward that higher ground of the harmonious society that shapes the laws of man to the laws of God.” — Adam Clayton Powell, Jr.
126. I am not interested in power for power's sake, but I'm interested in power that is moral, that is right and that is good.
127. “We must accept finite disappointment but never lose infinite hope.”
128. “You don’t make progress by standing on the sidelines, whimpering and complaining. You make progress by implementing ideas.” —Shirley Chisholm
129. One of the lessons that I grew up with was to always stay true to yourself and never let what somebody else says distract you from your goals. And so when I hear about negative and false attacks, I really don’t invest any energy in them, because I know who I am. – Michelle Obama
130. We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.
131. “I had reasoned this out in my mind; there was one of two things I had a right to, liberty, or death; if I could not have one, I would have the other; for no man should take me alive; I should fight for my liberty as long as my strength lasted, and when the time came for me to go, the Lord would let them take me.” —Harriet Tubman
132. Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?'
133. We will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope.
134. A black king has a strong sense of self-worth and will not live under anyone’s rules but his own.
135. “We cannot walk alone. And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead. We cannot turn back.”
136. “If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair.” —Shirley Chisholm
137. “So, the question is not whether we will be extremists, but what kind of extremists we will be. Will we be extremists for hate or for love? Will we be extremists for the preservation of injustice or for the extension of justice?”
138. “Hate multiplies hate, violence multiplies violence, and toughness multiplies toughness in a descending spiral of destruction.”
139. “Won’t it be wonderful when black history and Native American history and Jewish history and all of U.S. history is taught from one book. Just U.S. history.” —Maya Angelou
140. “What you’re thinking is what you’re becoming.” – Muhammad Ali
141. “Be healthy and take care of yourself, but be happy with the beautiful things that make you, you.” - Beyoncé Knowles
142. “The time is always right to do what is right.”
143. A strong black king is very hard-working, humble, and always ready to help his fellow men. He is also very intelligent, and wise, and understands love and relationships with great clarity.
144. The black king represents strength and powerful leadership that can achieve anything it sets its mind to.
145. “If your success is defined as being well adjusted to injustice and well adapted to indifference, then we don’t want successful leaders. We want great leaders who love the people enough and respect the people enough to be unbought, unbound, unafraid, and unintimidated to tell the truth.” – Dr. Cornel West
146. “Belief in oneself and knowing who you are—I mean, that’s the foundation for everything great.” —Jay-Z
147. “History has shown us that courage can be contagious, and hope can take on a life of its own. – Michelle Obama
148. “The most significant successes come from letting your light shine, embracing failure, and getting good at being wrong.” Stacey Abrams
149. Black king is a black man with a vision, mind, and heart. He can make any woman fall in love with him because he’s very brave and sees no boundaries when it comes to love. He has a clear mind and can enjoy himself at all times without being threatened by anyone.
150. “All you can do is be your best self. I'm representing more than just me. I think everyone should be like that.” - Misty Copeland
151. The black king represents the strength to complete any venture successfully. He is powerful and controls success, passionate and driven by success.
152. Strong and determined, an African man is not afraid to speak his mind! He expresses himself with freedom and purpose.
153. “Black people cannot and will not become integrated into American society on any terms but those of self-determination and autonomy.” – Gerda Lerner
154. “In recognizing the humanity of our fellow beings, we pay ourselves the highest tribute.” —Thurgood Marshall
155. “I believe that telling our stories, first to ourselves and then to one another and the world, is a revolutionary act. It is an act that can be met with hostility, exclusion, and violence. It can also lead to love, understanding, transcendence, and community.” —Janet Mock
156. “Nonviolence is absolute commitment to the way of love. Love is not emotional bash; it is not empty sentimentalism. It is the active outpouring of one’s whole being into the being of another.”
157. “I have learned over the years that when one’s mind is made up, this diminishes fear.” —Rosa Parks
158. “Just don’t give up what you’re trying to do. Where there is love and inspiration, I don’t think you can go wrong.” —Ella Fitzgerald
159. Strong Black Kings are hardworking, intelligent, noble, and wise natural leaders.
160. “We may encounter many defeats but we must not be defeated.” - Maya Angelou
161. “We all require and want respect, man or woman, black or white. It’s our basic human right.” —Aretha Franklin
162. “Defining myself, as opposed to being defined by others, is one of the most difficult challenges I face.” —Carol Moseley-Braun
163. “To me, we are the most beautiful creatures in the whole world. Black people. And I mean that in every sense.” – Nina Simone
164. Strong black Kings are hardworking intelligent males of African heritage who is a noble and knowledgeable natural leaders.
165. “Don’t settle for average. Bring your best to the moment. Then, whether it fails or succeeds, at least you know you gave all you had. We need to live the best that’s in us.” —Angela Bassett
166. “Every man of humane convictions must decide on the protest that best suits his convictions, but we must all protest.” (Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence Digital History, 1967.)
167. Never succumb to the temptation of bitterness.
168. “A democracy cannot thrive where power remains unchecked and justice is reserved for a select few. Ignoring these cries and failing to respond to this movement is simply not an option — for peace cannot exist where justice is not served.” — John Lewis said of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act
169. “Have a vision. Be demanding.” —Colin Powell
170. “Dreams are lovely but they are just dreams. Fleeting, ephemeral, pretty. But dreams do not come true just because you dream them. It’s hard work that makes things happen. It’s hard work that creates change.” —Shonda Rhimes
171. “We will all, at some point, encounter hurdles to gaining access and entry, moving up and conquering self-doubt; but on the other side is the capacity to own opportunity and tell our own story.” —Stacey Abrams
172. “I am what time, circumstance, history, have made of me, certainly, but I am also, much more than that. So are we all.” – James Baldwin
173. In some not too distant tomorrow the radiant stars of love and brotherhood will shine over our great nation with all their scintillating beauty.
174. A strong black man is not a lone wolf but a leader who leads from the front.
175. The strong black man is not somebody who can succeed in business, but he is somebody who can succeed even when he fails.
176. “Science investigates; religion interprets. Science gives man knowledge, which is power; religion gives man wisdom, which is control. Science deals mainly with facts; religion deals mainly with values. The two are not rivals.” (“A Tough Mind and a Tender Heart,” 1959.)
177. “The thing about black history is that the truth is so much more complex than anything you could make up.” – Henry Louis Gates
178. “One of the lessons that I grew up with was to always stay true to yourself and never let what somebody else says distract you from your goals. And so when I hear about negative and false attacks, I really don’t invest any energy in them, because I know who I am.” – Michelle Obama
179. “We may encounter many defeats but we must not be defeated.” – Maya Angelou
180. “Women, in general, are not part of the corruption of the past, so they can give a new kind of leadership, a new image for mankind.” - Coretta Scott King
181. “The soul that is within me no man can degrade.” —Frederick Douglass
182. “The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any.” —Alice Walker
183. “It is so liberating to really know what I want, what truly makes me happy, what I will not tolerate. I have learned that it is no one else’s job to take care of me but me.” - Beyoncé Knowles
184. “A democracy cannot thrive where power remains unchecked and justice is reserved for a select few. Ignoring these cries and failing to respond to this movement is simply not an option – for peace cannot exist where justice is not served.” – John Lewis
185. “Violence is immoral because it thrives on hatred rather than love…violence ends up defeating itself. It creates bitterness in the survivors and brutality in the destroyers.” (Nobel Lecture, 1964.)
186. “When we’re talking about diversity, it’s not a box to check. It is a reality that should be deeply felt and held and valued by all of us.” – Ava DuVernay
187. “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.” – President Barack Obama
188. “The one thing I feel is lacking in Hollywood today is an understanding of the beauty, the power, the sexuality, the uniqueness, the humor of being a regular Black woman.” —Viola Davis
189. “We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love. There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us. When we discover this, we are less prone to hate our enemies.”
190. “Out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope.” (“I Have a Dream,” 1963.)
191. That’s love, you see. It is redemptive, and this is why Jesus says love. There’s something about love that builds up and is creative. There is something about hate that tears down and is destructive. So love your enemies.
192. “For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.” – Nelson Mandela
193. Black men are not a minority. They’re a force to be reckoned with.
194. “We must accept finite disappointment but never lose infinite hope.” (In My Own Words, published in 2002.)
195. “The thing about Black history is that the truth is so much more complex than anything you could make up.” —Henry Louis Gates
196. “I feel that the time is always right to do what is right. Where progress for the Negro in America is concerned, there is a tragic misconception of time among whites. They seem to cherish a strange, irrational notion that something in the very flow of time will cure all ills.”
197. “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” —Martin Luther King, Jr.
198. We should all strive to be more like the strong black man. His strength, determination, and fearlessness inspire us all to be better.
199. The king is a noble and intelligent natural leader. He is hardworking, clever, and knows how to work with others.
200. “I had to make my own living and my own opportunity. But I made it! Don’t sit down and wait for the opportunities to come. Get up and make them.” – Madam C.J. Walker
201. “You may not always have a comfortable life and you will not always be able to solve all of the world’s problems at once. But, don’t ever underestimate the importance you can have because history has shown us that courage can be contagious, and hope can take on a life of its own," - Michelle Obama
202. “The price that America must pay for the continued oppression of the Negro and other minority groups is the price of its own destruction.”
203. “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.” —Martin Luther King, Jr.
204. “Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.” (“Letter from a Birmingham Jail,” 1963.)
205. “Nonviolence is the answer to the crucial political and moral questions of our time: the need for man to overcome oppression and violence without resorting to oppression and violence. Man must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge, aggression, and retaliation. The foundation of such method is love.” – Martin Luther King Jr.
206. “The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any.” – Alice Walker
207. A black king is a man who knows his power, uses it to full effect, and exudes confidence. Despite what others may say or think about you, a black King can identify the true value behind his existence.
208. “One important key to success is self-confidence. An important key to self-confidence is preparation.” – Arthur Ashe
209. “I am America. I am the part you won’t recognize. But get used to me. Black, confident, cocky; my name, not yours; my religion, not yours; my goals, my own; get used to me.” – Muhammad Ali
210. “God never intended for one group of people to live in superfluous, inordinate wealth, while others live in abject, deadening poverty.”
211. If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude. – Maya Angelou
212. Our mistreatment was just not right, and I was tired of it. – Rosa Parks
213. 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. – Nikki Giovanni
214. You can tell black kings by their dominance and the ease with which they succeeded and became famous.
215. “Just don’t give up what you’re trying to do. Where there is love and inspiration, I don’t think you can go wrong.” – Ella Fitzgerald
216. “People fail to get along because they fear each other; they fear each other because they don’t know each other; they don’t know each other because they have not communicated with each other.” (Speech at Cornell College, 1962.) Here are more powerful quotes that speak volumes in the fight against racism.
217. You know you’re a king when people follow you and respect you because of your character and morals.
218. A strong black man is an ultimate definition of what it means to be a man—and that’s why we love him so much.
219. Black King is a black man who thrives in the world with dignity, love, and compassion for himself and all others.
220. The black king represents our powerful, bold and courageous side. He’s the king of kings, the master of masters and the creator of dominators.
221. “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly.”
222. “If you prioritize yourself, you are going to save yourself.” —Gabrielle Union
223. “The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.” (“I Have a Dream,” 1963.)
224. “You are on the eve of a complete victory. You can’t go wrong. The world is behind you.” —Josephine Baker
225. Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into friend.
226. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. – Martin Luther King, Jr.
227. The nature of a black African man is that he is a great man, tranquil and well-tempered, who has a good heart. There is nothing in his heart but the love of God and humanity.
228. “Dreams are lovely but they are just dreams. Fleeting, ephemeral, pretty. But dreams do not come true just because you dream them. It’s hard work that makes things happen. It’s hard work that creates change.” – Shonda Rhimes
229. Have a vision. Be demanding. – Colin Powell
230. “I knew that I just didn't have it in me to give up, even if I sometimes felt like a fool for continuing to believe.” - Misty Copeland
231. “You don’t become what you want, you become what you believe.” - Oprah Winfrey
232. A strong black man is someone who hears the struggles of others and does everything in his power to help them succeed. He is someone we need to be proud of because he lives up.
233. Black kings are the epitome of intelligence and the perfect representation of sophistication.
234. A strong black king is a man of wisdom and institution. He is the political centre around which everything revolves: He has power; he is fearless; his word is the law for his household and tribe.
235. “For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.” —Nelson Mandela
236. A strong black king is an intelligent, noble, and highly-educated male of African heritage.
237. “If you have no confidence in self, you are twice defeated in the race of life.” —Marcus Garvey
238. “We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.”
239. “It was when I realized I needed to stop trying to be somebody else and be myself, I actually started to own, accept, and love what I had.” —Tracee Ellis Ross
240. A black king owns his purpose and exudes confidence as he moves through life intent on achieving his next goal.
241. “Invention, discovery, and empires are built of chances taken with high degrees of failure,” Stacey Abrams
242. “In a racist society, it is not enough to be non-racist. We must be anti-racist.” – Angela Davis
243. If you’re walking down the right path and you’re willing to keep walking, eventually you’ll make progress. – Barack Obama
244. “We must build dikes of courage to hold back the flood of fear.”
245. A strong black king is a graceful and wise man. He has knowledge, gracefulness, and a high standard of character. He is always poised and polite in his behaviour. He is cool even under pressure and does things in the proper order.
246. “One of the hardest things in life to learn are which bridges to cross and which bridges to burn.” —Oprah Winfrey
247. Do not bring people in your life who weigh you down. And trust your instincts … good relationships feel good. They feel right. They don’t hurt. They’re not painful. That’s not just with somebody you want to marry, but it’s with the friends that you choose. It’s with the people you surround yourselves with. – Michelle Obama
248. A strong black king is a gentleman who is aware of his being, significance, worth, and function. He can understand and practice the principles of honour, courage, and civility in everyday life.
249. Black men are the hardest-working people in the world. We don’t ask for much, but whenever we get it, we make sure to give back in return.
250. “The very serious function of racism…is distraction. It keeps you from doing your work. It keeps you explaining, over and over again, your reason for being. Somebody says you have no language and so you spend 20 years proving that you do. Somebody says your head isn’t shaped properly so you have scientists working on the fact that it is. Somebody says that you have no art so you dredge that up. Somebody says that you have no kingdoms and so you dredge that up. None of that is necessary.” — Toni Morrison, A Humanist View
251. A black king is the strongest, smartest, and most powerful man in the world. He doesn’t wait for success to come to him because he knows that it won’t. He goes and gets it.
252. “I have been gravely disappointed with the white moderate. I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro’s great stumbling block in his stride toward freedom is not the white citizen’s councilor or the Ku Klux Klanner, but the white moderate, who is more devoted to “order” than to justice… who constantly says: “I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I cannot agree with your methods of direct action”; who paternalistically believes he can set the timetable for another man’s freedom; who lives by a mythical concept of time and who constantly advises the Negro to wait for a “more convenient season.”
253. A strong black king is an always-ready king who’s also always in control, he is confident and never afraid to take charge.
254. “I was raised to believe that excellence is the best deterrent to racism or sexism. And that’s how I operate my life.” – Oprah Winfrey
255. Black kings are not just smart, strong, royal, or confident. They are everything you’re afraid of and more. They’re unapologetic and relentless, commanding respect simply because of who they are.
256. Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase.
257. Strong men don’t need to be reminded what a strong man looks like; they know.
258. “You are not and yet you are: your thoughts, your deeds, above all your dreams still live.” —W.E.B. Du Bois
259. A true black King is not a hater of any kind, he knows that he has come from greatness and has the responsibility of building it again.
260. “When Good Friday comes, these are the moments in life when we feel there’s no hope. But then, Easter comes.” - Coretta Scott King
261. “We are not afraid to adopt a revolutionary stance — if, indeed, we wish to be radical in our quest for change — then we must get to the root of our oppression. After all, radical simply means ‘grasping things at the root.’” - Angela Davis
262. “Decide what you want. Declare it to the world. See yourself winning. And remember that if you are persistent as well as patient, you can get whatever you seek.” - Misty Copeland
263. “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.”
264. The black king thrives on going against the grain and changing the status quo. He drives innovation and promotes new ideas. The passion he brings to his projects is just one of the reasons he excels.
265. A true black king is not a man of words. He is quiet, thoughtful, and intelligent, and has mastered himself to command respect.
266. The strong Black King is a natural leader, who is intelligent and has a noble heart.
267. “One day we will learn that the heart can never be totally right when the head is totally wrong.” (Strength to Love, 1963.)
268. “At the end of the day, it’s not about what you have or even what you’ve accomplished. It’s about what you’ve done with those accomplishments. It’s about who you’ve lifted up, who you’ve made better. It’s about what you’ve given back.” —Denzel Washington
269. As long as there is poverty in the world I can never be rich, even if I have a billion dollars. As long as diseases are rampant and millions of people in this world cannot expect to live more than twenty-eight or thirty years, I can never be totally healthy even if I just got a good checkup at Mayo Clinic. I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to be. This is the way our world is made. No individual or nation can stand out boasting of being independent. We are interdependent. – Martin Luther King, Jr.
270. “You don’t make progress by standing on the sidelines, whimpering and complaining. You make progress by implementing ideas.” – Shirley Chisholm
271. “If we can’t look at the good, bad, and ugly of who we are, we are never going to progress as people— ever.” —Rosie Perez
272. “All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence.” (“All Labor Has Dignity,” 1968.)
273. The strong black man is someone who builds bridges and connections while also tearing down walls.
274. A strong black man is a man who has taken control of his own life and does not let anyone else do it for him.
275. “A leader…is like a shepherd. He stays behind the flock, letting the most nimble go out ahead, where upon the other follow, not realizing that all along they are being directed from behind.” – Nelson Mandela
276. “Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable… Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals.”
277. “I have standards I don’t plan on lowering for anybody, including myself.” —Zendaya
278. “We’re bosses, and that’s what I consider feminism: female hustlers.” —Cardi B
279. A strong black man is like a luxury car. He’s powerful, turns heads, and fast—but if you ask him to park, he’ll take up half the space in your garage.
280. “Justice too long delayed is justice denied.”
281. “We must never forget that Black History is American History. The achievements of African Americans have contributed to our nation’s greatness.” – Yvette Clarke
282. “I use my platform for more than just myself. Art is a reflection of human emotions. To neglect the political is to neglect what essentially is your job of storytelling. I would rather be known for the content of my character than for the project that I did.”—Zendaya
283. “Don’t be afraid to feel as angry or as loving as you can, because when you feel nothing, it’s just death.” – Lena Horne
284. You’re not to be so blind with patriotism that you can’t face reality. Wrong is wrong, no matter who does it or says it. – Malcolm X
285. ”If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair.” - Shirley Chisolm
286. “Non-violence is absolute commitment to the way of love. Love is not emotional bash; it is not empty sentimentalism. It is the active outpouring of one’s whole being into the being of another.”-
287. “You've got to learn to leave the table when love's no longer being served.” —Nina Simone
288. “Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will.”
289. We don’t need strong black men, we need strong black mothers.
290. “There have been so many people who have said to me, ‘You can’t do that,’ but I’ve had an innate belief that they were wrong. Be unwavering and relentless in your approach.” —Halle Berry
291. The whole world opened to me when I learned to read. – Mary McLeod Bethune
292. ”I am, and always will be a catalyst for change.” - Shirley Chisolm
293. “I’m not concerned with your liking or disliking me… all I ask is that you respect me as a human being.” —Jackie Robinson
294. “You can’t separate peace from freedom because no one can be at peace unless he has his freedom.” —Malcolm X
295. The black king grows in everything from strength to success and even love.
296. “Character is power.” – Booker T. Washington
297. “For when people get caught up with that which is right and they are willing to sacrifice for it, there is no stopping point short of victory.” (“I’ve Been to the Mountaintop,” 1968.)
298. “Where there is no vision, there is no hope.” – George Washington Carver
299. “I thrive on obstacles. If I’m told that it can’t be done, then I push harder.” —Issa Rae
300. Strong, yet the black man’s integrity and tenderness make him a hero. He sacrifices himself for those he loves without hesitation.
301. A black king is a black man; confident, unapologetic, and fearless. He’s the King of his destiny. Nothing can stop him from living his life on his terms every day because he owns his choices before he even makes them.
302. “Your story is what you have, what you will always have. It is something to own.” —Michelle Obama
303. “Whatever you want to do, if you want to be great at it, you have to love it and be able to make sacrifices for it.” - Maya Angelou
304. “When you love and accept yourself, when you know who really cares about you, and when you learn from your mistakes, then you stop caring about what people who don’t know you think.” - Beyoncé Knowles
305. “Whatever is bringing you down, get rid of it. Because you’ll find that when you’re free… your true self comes out.” —Tina Turner
306. “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”
307. “Man must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge, aggression and retaliation. The foundation of such a method is love.”
308. “The only justification for ever looking down on somebody is to pick them up.” – Jesse Jackson
309. “If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair.” – Shirley Chisholm
310. Black kings are intelligent, strong, and courageous. They never let anything get them down.
311. “A lie cannot live.”
312. “Know that you can start late, look different, be uncertain and still succeed.” - Misty Copeland
313. “Sometimes we have to do the work even though we don’t yet see a glimmer on the horizon that it’s actually going to be possible.” - Angela Davis
314. The only way you can be a black man is by being fearless. A black king doesn’t say things to please others; he says what he feels and believes in.
315. When a black king comes into a business, he is ready to conquer the business world with his intelligence.
316. “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.
317. “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” (“Letter from a Birmingham Jail,” 1963.)
318. “Shallow understanding from people of goodwill is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will. Lukewarm acceptance is much more bewildering than outright rejection.”
319. “You’re not obligated to win. You’re obligated to keep trying to do the best you can every day.” – Marian Wright Edelman
320. “Names matter; labels matter. We should always pursue the highest title available and fight for the labels that reflect our clout.” Stacey Abrams
321. A strong black man is the one who never gives up, never loses patience and never fails to keep himself strong. He stands for his family and people, faces all challenges bravely and believes in his ability to overcome obstacles.
322. “It’s important for young people to know that they are made the way they are made and they’re beautiful and that’s how they’re supposed to be.” —Raven Symone
323. “Never be limited by other people’s limited imaginations.” —Dr. Mae Jemison
324. “Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into friend.”
325. “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. —George Washington Carver
326. “The battles that count aren’t the ones for gold medals. The struggles within yourself-the invisible, inevitable battles inside all of us-that’s where it’s at.” – Jesse Owens
327. “Have a vision. Be demanding.” – Colin Powell
328. The strong black man walks with a sense of honour and pride, refusing to lower himself to any level to get ahead.
329. “If you can be the best, then why not try to be the best?” – Garrett Morgan
330. Power without love is reckless and abusive, and love without power is sentimental and anemic. Power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice, and justice at its best is power correcting everything that stands against love.
331. “Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred."
332. Black men are unlike other men. They have a different purposes in life. They serve as their family’s backbone, foundation and main support system.
333. “We must never forget that Black History is American History. The achievements of African Americans have contributed to our nation's greatness.” —Yvette Clarke
334. A black king is unapologetic about being a black man and does not feel inferior to any other human being.
335. “Not everything that is faced can be changed; but nothing can be changed until it is faced,” -James Baldwin
336. “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” (Strength to Love, 1963.)
337. “I may not be there yet, but I am closer than I was yesterday.” - Misty Copeland
338. Strong black men are the best kind of men. The kind who doesn’t need to be yelled at all day but will still deal with you if you step out of line.
339. Yes we can! – Barack Obama
340. “When you put love out in the world it travels, and it can touch people and reach people in ways that we never even expected.” —Laverne Cox
341. “You are where you are in life because of what you believe is possible for yourself.” - Oprah Winfrey
342. “Character is power.” —Booker T. Washington
343. “Never, never be afraid to do what’s right – especially if the well-being of a person or animal is at stake. Society’s punishments are small compared to the ones we inflict on our soul when we look the other way.”
344. “Everybody can be great…because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.” (The Drum Major Instinct, 1968.) For evidence of this, check out these true stories of ordinary people who changed history.
345. “You can’t separate peace from freedom because no one can be at peace unless he has his freedom.” – Malcolm X
346. “If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.” (Address at Spelman College, 1960.) Check out these other great motivational quotes to start your day.
347. It is only the intelligence of a black king that can build a perfect nation.
348. “Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they’ve been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact. It’s an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It’s a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing.” —Muhammad Ali
349. The strongest black men are those who have confidence in themselves, their strengths and abilities, and don’t depend on the opinions of others to define them.
350. “Won’t it be wonderful when black history and Native American history and Jewish history and all of U.S. history is taught from one book. Just U.S. history.” – Maya Angelou
351. Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.
352. “A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus.”
353. “Be a bush if you can't be a tree. If you can't be a highway, just be a trail. If you can't be a sun, be a star. For it isn't by size that you win or fail. Be the best of whatever you are.”
354. The strong black can navigate the challenges that life throws at him with ease, who sees beyond outward appearances and challenges himself to be better.
355. “If you know whence you came, there is really no limit to where you can go.” —James Baldwin
356. A black king is the master of his destiny and is willing to teach others the greatness that he represents.
357. “We’ve got some difficult days ahead. But it really doesn’t matter with me now because I’ve been to the mountaintop… I’ve looked over and I’ve seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight that we as a people will get to the promised land.” (“I’ve Been to the Mountaintop,” 1968.)
358. “We should emphasize not Negro History, but the Negro in history. 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.” – Carter Woodson
359. Strong enough to fight for what is right but gentle enough to bend the long is the black man.
360. “Love is the greatest force in the universe. It is the heartbeat of the moral cosmos. He who loves is a participant in the being of God.” (From a handwritten letter, mid-1960s.)
361. Strong black kings are proud and dignified rulers. They are not born, they are made. They always conquer with the power of their knowledge and wisdom.
362. “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.”
363. “The future rewards those who press on. I don’t have time to feel sorry for myself. I don’t have time to complain. I’m going to press on.” – Barack Obama
364. “Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die, life is a broken winged bird that cannot fly.”—Langston Hughes
365. The successful black man is never afraid to fail. HHe’sproud of it and will use it as an opportunity for personal growth. HHe’salso smart enough to capitalise on his failures and figure out what went wrong so he can learn from them and avoid future problems.
366. “We need to internalize this idea of excellence. Not many folks spend a lot of time trying to be excellent.” – Barack Obama
367. “Although slavery may have been abolished, the crippling poison of racism still persists, and the struggle still continues.” — Harry Belafonte, 2010 rally in Washington, D.C.
368. He is a warrior, powerful and strong. The right representation of prestige and victory is no other but the black king.
369. “We must reject not only the stereotypes that others hold of us, but also the stereotypes that we hold of ourselves.” —Shirley Chisholm
370. Throwing caution to the wind, I am chasing my dreams. A strong black man got to do what he’s got to do.
371. The strong black man is someone who has a vision for our community, even if it is not always popular with those who are outside it.
372. You can kill the dreamer, but you can't kill the dream.
373. Africa is a beautiful continent and it has produced men of great wisdom, passion, and confidence; black kings. They were unapologetic about their heritage and loved to the fullest.
374. “The cost of liberty is less than the price of repression.” – W.E.B. Du Bois
375. “I have built my own factory on my own ground!” - Madam CJ Walker
376. Strong Black kings are those men who live to serve the people. They are kings in everything they do.
377. “We must see now that the evils of racism, economic exploitation, and militarism are all tied together. And you can’t get rid of one without getting rid of the other.”
378. A strong black king loves his country and shows it in action. He is a man who has no vested interest in keeping the masses ignorant, poor, or dependent.
379. “I had to make my own living and my own opportunity. But I made it!” - Madam CJ Walker
380. “The very serious function of racism is distraction. It keeps you from doing your work. It keeps you explaining, over and over again, your reason for being.” – Toni Morrison
381. “Black people have always been America’s wilderness in search of a promised land.” —Cornel West
382. “We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love. There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us. When we discover this, we are less prone to hate our enemies.” (A Gift of Love, published in 2012.) Here are some more inspiring forgiveness quotes that encourage you to finally let go.
383. “A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus.” (“The Domestic Impact of the War in Vietnam, 1967.)
384. “I always believed that when you follow your heart or your gut, when you really follow the things that feel great to you, you can never lose, because settling is the worst feeling in the world.” —Rihanna
385. “Whatever we believe about ourselves and our ability comes true for us.” —Susan L. Taylor
386. “They made us into a race. We made ourselves into a people.” —Ta-Nehisi Coates
387. “If you have no critics you’ll likely have no success.” – Malcolm X
388. “I am America. I am the part you won’t recognize. But get used to me. Black, confident, cocky; my name, not yours; my religion, not yours; my goals, my own; get used to me.” —Muhammad Ali
389. I have come to believe over and over again that what is most important to me must be spoken, made verbal and shared, even at the risk of having it bruised or misunderstood. – Audre Lorde
390. “I realized that beauty was not a thing that I could acquire or consume, it was something I just had to be.” —Lupita Nyong’o
391. “I am not going to die; I’m going home like a shooting star.” —Sojourner Truth
392. “We should emphasize not Negro History, but the Negro in history. 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.” —Carter Woodson
393. “Racism is so universal in this country, so widespread, and deep-seated, that it is invisible because it is so normal.” ― Shirley Chisholm, Unbought and Unbossed
394. Intimidating, powerful and sometimes intimidating, the black man is known to stand out in a crowd. He is someone who knows what he wants and works hard to get it.
395. The black king thrives in the darkness. But the light of wisdom and knowledge pours through the smoke hole in his heart.
396. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
397. “I don’t think we have any alternative other than remaining optimistic. Optimism is an absolute necessity, even if it’s only optimism of the will, as Gramsci said, and pessimism of the intellect.” - Angela Davis
398. “Wherever there is a human being, I see God-given rights inherent in that being, whatever may be the sex or complexion.” – William Lloyd Garrison
399. Man must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge, aggression and retaliation. The foundation of such a method is love.
400. “Don’t underestimate yourself. You are more capable than you think.” - Misty Copeland
401. “I am lucky that whatever fear I have inside me, my desire to win is always stronger.” – Serena Williams
402. “Nonviolence is a powerful and just weapon. Indeed, it is a weapon unique in history, which cuts without wounding and ennobles the man who wields it.” (Nobel Lecture, 1964.) Check out some more of our favorite inspiring peace quotes from world leaders.
403. “I don’t have any time to stay up all night worrying about what someone who doesn’t love me has to say about me.” —Viola Davis
404. “For I am my mother’s daughter, and the drums of Africa still beat in my heart.” —Mary McLeod Bethune
405. The power of a black African king is one of conviction, courage, and ambition. He is who he is and he doesn’t apologize.
406. A man is someone who has the strength to be himself, who can never apologise for being strong, and who never apologises for being black.
407. I think if we are actually going to accept our generation’s responsibility, that’s going to mean that we give our children no less retirement security than we inherited from our parents. – Carol Moseley Braun
408. “Hate is too great a burden to bear. It injures the hater more than it injures the hated.” —Coretta Scott King
409. Sometimes, we all need a little strength in our lives, like the black man.
410. “Darkness cannot drive out darkness: Only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: Only love can do that.” (Strength to Love, 1963.)
411. “Freedom is never given; it is won.” – A. Philip Randolph
412. Black kings are known to be very protective of their women. They are affectionate, caring, and supportive members of their families.
413. “Non-violence is a powerful and just weapon. Indeed, it is a weapon unique in history, which cuts without wounding and ennobles the man who wields it.”
414. “Faith is taking the first step even when you can’t see the whole staircase.” (Speech at Park-Sheraton Hotel, 1962.) Learn why Black History Month shouldn’t be just a single month.
415. “When I dare to be powerful, to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid.” – Audre Lorde
416. Black men are revered for their strength and perseverance in everything from sports to the arts. Their endurance daily is incredible and what makes them so special.
417. “Power is not given to you. You have to take it.” – Beyonce
418. Hate is just as injurious to the hater as it is to the hated. Like an unchecked cancer, hate corrodes the personality and eats away its vital unity. Many of our inner conflicts are rooted in hate. This is why psychiatrists say, “Love or perish.” Hate is too great a burden to bear.
419. “Law and order exist for the purpose of establishing justice, and when they fail in this purpose, they become the dangerously structured dams that block the flow of social progress.”
420. The strong black man is one who never fears the future, no matter how intense his past.
421. “Let nothing dim the light that shines from within.” - Maya Angelou
422. “I was built this way for a reason, so I’m going to use it.” —Simone Biles
423. I want to be the white man's brother, not his brother-in-law.
424. “Without Coretta Scott King, there would not have been a Martin Luther King, Jr. in the way that we know him.” - Coretta Scott King
425. “If I have accomplished anything in life it is because I have been willing to work hard.” - Madam CJ Walker
426. If you want to be great, you can do it. Just have the same attitude as a strong black man.
427. Never underestimate the power of a black man. He has what it takes to be the most influential person in any field and can control his own emotions and impulses.
428. “Just be what you are. And I try to be my best self and be what I am and knowing what I am and be satisfied with that. And if people don't know it, maybe they'll eventually know it.” - Coretta Scott King
429. “I try never to take myself for granted as somebody who should be out there speaking. Rather, I'm doing it only because I feel there's something important that needs to be conveyed.” - Angela Davis
430. A black king is the leader of his family. He is not afraid to stand up for himself, his wife, and his children. A black king will take control of his destiny by taking responsibility for what he does.
431. The outside world told black kids when I was growing up that we weren’t worth anything. But our parents said it wasn’t so, and our churches and our schoolteachers said it wasn’t so. They believed in us, and we, therefore, believed in ourselves. – Marian Wright Edelman
432. “Nonviolent action, the Negro saw, was the way to supplement, not replace, the progress of change. It was the way to divest himself of passivity without arraying himself in vindictive force.”
433. “I’m no longer accepting the things I cannot change… I’m changing the things I cannot accept.” - Angela Davis
434. A strong black king is a beautiful and noble male with a calm and patient demeanour who knows how to lead and control his emotions.
435. Black Kings are the embodiment of strength, pride, and culture. They are unapologetic and confident in who they are. They convey this message to others through their actions, words, and dress.
436. Even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream.
437. “Truth is powerful and it prevails.” —Sojourner Truth
438. You know, a lot of people don’t love themselves. And they go through life with deep and haunting emotional conflicts. So the length of life means that you must love yourself. And you know what loving yourself also means? It means that you’ve got to accept yourself.
439. A black king lives life with a deep knowledge of his history. He knows where he comes from and he knows where he is going.
440. A black king is not just a lump of flesh, he is the embodiment of the generations who have gone before him and their experiences.
441. “Here is the true meaning and value of compassion and nonviolence, when it helps us to see the enemy’s point of view, to hear his questions, to know his assessment of ourselves. For from his view we may indeed see the basic weaknesses of our own condition, and if we are mature, we may learn and grow and profit from the wisdom of the brothers who are called the opposition.” (“Beyond Vietnam,” 1967.) Like many of these Martin Luther King, Jr. quotes, these vintage photos of unity encourage finding common ground.
442. “I’m very proud to be Black, but Black is not all I am. That’s my cultural historical background, my genetic makeup, but it’s not all of who I am nor is it the basis from which I answer every question.”
443. Strong is the man who stands up for what is right, even if this means standing alone. He is no other person but a black man.
444. “The ultimate tragedy is not the oppression and cruelty by the bad people, but the silence over that by the good people.”
445. Strong black men are like fine wine. They get better with age, are always in style, and never lose their edge.
446. 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. – Rosa Parks
447. “Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle. And so we must straighten our backs and work for our freedom.” (“The Death of Evil upon the Seashore,” 1956.)
448. “I have nothing to lose by standing up for my beliefs. So I’ll go to jail, so what? We’ve been in jail for 400 years.” — Muhammad Ali, 1976
449. Black is beautiful. The strong black man is someone you can turn to in times of need.
450. “We will not build a peaceful world by following a negative path. It is not enough to say, ‘We must not wage war.’ It is necessary to love peace and sacrifice for it. We must concentrate not merely on the negative expulsion of war, but on the positive affirmation of peace.”
451. We've got some difficult days ahead. But it really doesn't matter with me now because I've been to the mountaintop... I've looked over and I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight that we as a people will get to the promised land.
452. In a world filled with hate, we must still dare to hope. In a world filled with anger, we must still dare to comfort. In a world filled with despair, we must still dare to dream. And in a world filled with distrust, we must still dare to believe. – Michael Jackson
453. “Embrace what makes you unique, even if it makes others uncomfortable. I didn’t have to become perfect because I’ve learned throughout my journey that perfection is the enemy of greatness.” —Janelle Monae
454. “Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.”
455. “Darkness can not drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.” – Martin Luther King Jr.
456. “Defining myself, as opposed to being defined by others, is one of the most difficult challenges I face.” – Carol Moseley-Braun
457. “Almost always, the creative dedicated minority has made the world better.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.
458. “Your self-worth is determined by you. You don’t have to depend on someone telling you who you are.” - Beyoncé Knowles
459. 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
460. “The only weapon that we have in our hands this evening is the weapon of protest.”
461. “We must remember that intelligence is not enough. Intelligence plus character—that is the goal of true education.” (“The Purpose of Education,” 1947.)
462. “Peace is not merely a distant goal that we seek but means by which we arrive at that goal.”
463. “In all things that are purely social we can be as separate as the fingers, yet one as the hand in all things essential to mutual progress.” – Booker T. Washington
464. A black king is confident, resilient, and has the strength to defend his family and community. The Black King embodies qualities of strength as well as humility.
465. A man who perseveres. He thinks differently and has the courage to act on his convictions. The black king is a symbol of great strength, endurance and domination.
466. ”I’m looking to no man walking this earth for approval of what I’m doing.” - Shirley Chisolm
467. “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.
468. He is a black king, unlike anyone you have ever met before. He is not apologetic, afraid, or weak. He is strong and confident.
469. A black king is a boss who will never become a pawn. He will lead you to success.
470. “Racism is man’s gravest threat to man – the maximum of hatred for a minimum of reason.” – Abraham Joshua Heschel
471. A strong black king is a person who is careful and considerate of other people’s needs and wants. He appreciates relationships, both personal and professional. He’s well-behaved and knows how to treat people with respect.
472. “It’s not the load that breaks you down; it’s the way you carry it.” —Lena Horne
473. Black King is the one who makes everyone ‘smile’ in this world. He’s known for his strong will, power, and determination to control his destiny.
474. I am the fruit of my labour. I could have given up at any time and let life pass me by. But I didn’t, because a strong black king never quits.
475. “All we say to America is, ‘Be true to what you said on paper.’ … Somewhere I read of the freedom of assembly. Somewhere I read of the freedom of speech. Somewhere I read of the freedom of the press. Somewhere I read that the greatness of America is the right to protest for right.” (“I’ve Been to the Mountaintop,” 1968.)
476. “All progress is precarious, and the solution of one problem brings us face to face with another problem.”
477. No one should negotiate their dreams. Dreams must be free to flee and fly high. No government, no legislature, has a right to limit your dreams. You should never agree to surrender your dreams. – Jesse Jackson
478. The black king is always on the lookout for new trends and opportunities.
479. It’s not the load that breaks you down, it’s the way you carry it. – Lena Horne
480. “The hope of a secure and livable world lies with disciplined nonconformists, who are dedicated to justice, peace, and brotherhood. The trailblazers in human, academic, scientific, and religious freedom have always been nonconformists. In any cause that concerns the progress of mankind, put your faith in the nonconformist!”
481. “If there is no struggle, there is no progress.” —Frederick Douglass
482. The black king should not be underestimated. He is a dynamic leader and will stop at nothing to deliver results.
483. “I will not take ‘but’ for an answer.” – Langston Hughes
484. Black kings who have indisputable integrity, love the family, and all that is good in life. They bring out the best in you, they will lift your spirit and make you appreciate your mother.
485. “Truth is powerful and it prevails.” – Sojourner Truth
486. Strong Black Kings are the kind of men that would have you looking up to them, asking them for advice, and listening to their words of wisdom. They are the type of people who have an abundance of patience and don’t get easily annoyed by anything.
487. While we often see peace as our end goal, as a destination we’ll eventually reach with enough time and action, MLK reminds us that it’s also a journey itself. Peace begets peace. If you want a peaceful world, commit yourself to spread around that same energy and approach all things with the care and attention they deserve.
488. “My humanity is bound up in yours, for we can only be human together.” —Desmond Tutu
489. “History is a people’s memory, and without a memory, man is demoted to the lower animals.” – Malcolm X
490. “No matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow.” - Maya Angelou
491. “If you have a chance to accomplish something that will make things better for people coming behind you, and you don’t do that, you are wasting your time on this earth.” —Roberto Clemente
492. “I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” —Michael Jordan
493. The quality, not the longevity, of one's life is what is important.
494. Black kings are men who have the humility to understand that their true power comes from themselves, their relationships with others, and their connection to the world around them.
495. “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’” (Speech in Montgomery, Alabama, 1957.)
496. A black king speaks fiercely and walks with purpose. He commands the respect of all around him and earns respect through actions, not words.
497. “A true diva is graceful, and talented, and strong, and fearless and brave and someone with humility.” - Beyoncé Knowles
498. “I am convinced that the women of the world, united without any regard for national or racial dimensions, can become a most powerful force for international peace and brotherhood.” - Coretta Scott King
499. “My humanity is bound up in yours, for we can only be human together.” – Desmond Tutu
500. “Women make up more than half of the world’s population and potential. So it is neither just nor practical for their voices, for our voices, to go unheard at the highest levels of decision-making.” —Meghan Markle
501. ”Be as bold as the first man or [woman] to eat an oyster.” - Shirley Chisolm
502. “Determine to live life with flair and laughter.” - Maya Angelou
503. He’s a Black king, he’s strong, and he’s not afraid. He is unapologetic, fearless, and ready to take on the world.
504. The intelligence of a black king is unmatched and unfazed by anything thrown at him.
505. “We are not makers of history. We are made by history.”
506. “Yes, if you want to say that I was a drum major, say that I was a drum major for justice, say that I was a drum major for peace, I was a drum major for righteousness, and all the other shallow things will not matter.” (Sermon in Atlanta, 1968.)
507. A black king is a picture of elegance, manners, and good behaviour. He never gets angry or insults people for no reason. The way he dresses shows that he has been taught how valuable his personality is as well as how good it is to present himself as one who deserves respect.
508. “You have to fill your bucket with positive energy—and if you have people hanging around you that are bringing you down and not lifting you up, whether that’s your ‘boo’ or your best friend—you have to learn how to push these people to the side" - Michelle Obama
509. I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.
510. An innovator, the black king, is often misunderstood, but he perseveres through adversity. He is a person who dares to fight for what he believes in and to make changes without compromise.
511. “I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.”
512. The strong black man is someone that doesn’t need to prove anything. He is strong.
513. “If you have no road map, you have to create your own.” —Jacqueline Woodson
514. Strong, silent, and unflinching, the strong black man is a leader among men.
515. “I can do anything when I am in a tutu.” - Misty Copeland
516. “Racism is man’s gravest threat to man—the maximum of hatred for a minimum of reason.” —Abraham Joshua Heschel
517. “Hate is too great a burden to bear. It injures the hater more than it injures the hated.” – Coretta Scott King
518. “When you undervalue what you do, the world will undervalue who you are.” - Oprah Winfrey
519. “I got my start by giving myself a start.” - Madam CJ Walker
520. “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
521. The black man’s spirit is not broken; it is stronger than ever.
522. “True peace is not merely the absence of tension; it is the presence of justice.” —Martin Luther King Jr.
523. “Girls and women of our race must not be afraid to take hold of business endeavour and, by patient industry, close economy, determined effort, and close application to business, wring success out of a number of business opportunities that lie at their doors.” - Madam CJ Walker
524. “I am no longer accepting the things I cannot change. I am changing the things I cannot accept.” – Angela Y. Davis
525. The black king knows how to make all the right moves. Before the competition, he strikes back with the most durable strategies.
526. I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. This is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant.
527. A black king is a man who knows who he is and what he stands for, no matter what people have to say about it.
528. “We will all, at some point, encounter hurdles to gaining access and entry, moving up and conquering self-doubt; but on the other side is the capacity to own opportunity and tell our own story.” -Stacey Abrams
529. “Grab the broom of anger and drive off the beast of fear.” —Zora Neale Hurston
530. I am a black king, and I will not be broken. You cannot silence me, you cannot tame me, and you cannot make me apologize for being exactly who I am.
531. “If you write about race in 1850, you end up talking about race today because in many ways, so little has changed.” —Colton Whitehead
532. The strong Black King is a Black man who loves himself and his culture. He is unapologetically confident, and fearless in the face of adversity.
533. “If democracy is to have breadth of meaning, it is necessary to adjust this inequity. It is not only moral, but it is also intelligent. We are wasting and degrading human life by clinging to archaic thinking.” (“Where Do We Go From Here?” 1967.)
534. “Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?’”
535. The black king is the king of the industry, fearless and ready to take on any challenge. He is black as night and never fails to surprise you.
536. A black king is a king who never fails to shock you. A black queen leads him.
537. “When we’re talking about diversity, it’s not a box to check. It is a reality that should be deeply felt and held and valued by all of us.” —Ava DuVernay
538. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood.
539. The black king never stands still. He moves the world forward with his limitless energy.
540. If you succumb to the temptation of using violence in the struggle, unborn generations will be the recipients of a long and desolute night of bitterness, and your chief legacy to the future will be an endless reign of meaningless chaos. – Martin Luther King, Jr.
541. “Success isn’t about how much money you make, it’s about the difference you make in people’s lives.” – Michelle Obama
542. “If I am not good to myself, how can I expect anyone else to be good to me?” - Maya Angelou
543. “Once we recognize what it is we are feeling, once we recognize we can feel deeply, love deeply, can feel joy, then we will demand that all parts of our lives produce that kind of joy.” —Audre Lorde
544. “He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love.”
545. “I don’t like to gamble, but if there’s one thing I’m willing to bet on, it’s myself.” - Beyoncé Knowles
546. “A riot is the language of the unheard. And what is it that America has failed to hear? …That the plight of the Negro poor has worsened over the last few years. It has failed to hear that the promises of freedom and justice have not been met.
547. “What’s the world for if you can’t make it up the way you want it?”—Toni Morrison
548. “A man without knowledge of himself and his heritage is like a tree without roots.” —Dick Gregory
549. “Over the last few years, I have consistently preached that non-violence demands that the means we use must be as pure as the ends we seek. So, I have tried to make it clear that it is wrong to use immoral means to attain moral ends. But now I must affirm that it is just as wrong, or even more, to use moral means to preserve immoral ends.”
550. “The impatient idealist says: ‘Give me a place to stand and I shall move the earth.’ But such a place does not exist. We all have to stand on the earth itself and go with her at her pace.” – Chinua Achebe
551. “Change will not come if we wait for some other person, or if we wait for some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.” —Barack Obama
552. “Freedom and justice cannot be parceled out in pieces to suit political convenience. I don’t believe you can stand for freedom for one group of people and deny it to others.” —Coretta Scott King
553. A black king is a man who has a good attitude towards everyone. He is a gentleman who respects women above all else.
554. A strong black man believes in himself and doesn’t let anyone else tell him what to do.
555. No other epitome of success like the black king. Black and ready to conquer the world. He represents strength, courage and ambition.
556. “Life is not a spectator sport. If you’re going to spend your whole life in the grandstand just watching what goes on, in my opinion, you’re wasting your life.” —Jackie Robinson
557. “Open Your Own Shop; Secure Prosperity and Freedom.” - Madam CJ Walker
558. “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.” —Nikki Giovanni
559. A strong black man will always be a strong black man. He will never have to prove it because no matter what he does, he is still a strong black man.
560. “We know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor, it must be demanded by the oppressed.” (“Letter from a Birmingham Jail,” 1963.)
561. The strong black king is a hardworking, intelligent, and noble African man who is a natural leader.
562. “Every time you state what you want or believe, you’re the first to hear it. It’s a message to both you and others about what you think is possible. Don’t put a ceiling on yourself.” – Oprah Winfrey
563. Greatness occurs when your children love you, when your critics respect you and when you have peace of mind. – Quincy Jones
564. Hate is too great a burden to bear. It injures the hater more than it injures the hated. – Coretta Scott King
565. A strong black king is not just beautiful, but also intelligent and determined.
566. “Those who say it can’t be done are usually interrupted by others doing it.” – James Baldwin
567. The strength of character, wisdom and perseverance of the black man has made him one of the most misunderstood cultures on Earth. Does he still have a place in this era where technology dominates us? Yes, he always has a place.
568. “I love my body, and I would never change anything about it. I’m not asking you to like my body. I’m just asking you to let me be me.” —Serena Williams
569. A strong black man is not a contradiction but a beautiful possibility.
570. We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love. There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us. When we discover this, we are less prone to hate our enemies. – Martin Luther King, Jr.
571. “The way to win is to try.” Stacey Abrams
572. “Sometimes, what you're looking for is already there.” —Aretha Franklin
573. We may have all come on different ships, but we're in the same boat now.
574. It is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize, accept, and celebrate those differences. – Audre Lorde
575. “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
576. “Courage is the power of the mind to overcome fear.”
577. “Whatever your life’s work is, do it well. A man should do his job so well that the living, the dead, and the unborn could do it no better.”
578. “I have discovered in life that there are ways of getting almost anywhere you want to go, if you really want to go.” – Langston Hughes
579. “Free at last, Free at last, Thank God almighty we are free at last.”
580. Intelligence plus character—that is the goal of true education.
581. “Have a vision of excellence, a dream of success, and work like hell.” – Dr. Samuel DuBois Cook
582. “It doesn’t matter who you are, where you come from. The ability to triumph begins with you – always.” - Oprah Winfrey
583. A strong black king is distinguished by the perfection of his courtesy. He is not impetuous or rude, but courteous, affable, and gracious.
584. A strong black king is educated, and being educated, knows that he must respect himself, his family, and his community.
585. “We’ve got some difficult days ahead. But it really doesn’t matter with me now because I’ve been to the mountaintop… I’ve looked over, and I’ve seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight that we as a people will get to the promised land.”
586. “I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. This is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant.”
587. The black king is always forward-thinking. He supports those around him and is always the first to speak up against injustice.
588. A strong black king is a reputation that has been valued by Africans for centuries, although it’s not just reserved for men only; many ladies also fall under this category.
589. A black king is an African man, who exudes confidence and is unapologetic for his blackness. Having a strong will and speaking his mind comes with this position.
590. He knows his worth and has no trouble reminding you. While others find him audacious, you can’t help but love him for it. We call this man the strong black man.
591. The hottest place in Hell is reserved for those who remain neutral in times of great moral conflict.
592. “The beauty of anti-racism is that you don’t have to pretend to be free of racism to be anti-racist. Anti-racism is the commitment to fight racism wherever you find it, including in yourself. And it’s the only way forward.” – Ijoema Oluo
593. A strong black king’s definition is one who can handle adversity without losing his pride.
594. “If one really wishes to know how justice is administered in a country, one does not question the policemen, the lawyers, the judges, or the protected members of the middle class. One goes to the unprotected — those, precisely, who need the law’s protection most! — and listens to their testimony.” — Baldwin, No Name on the Street
595. “The way to right wrongs is to turn the light of truth upon them.” — Ida B. Wells
596. “If a man has not discovered something that he will die for, he isn’t fit to live.”
597. “Who is an Exquisite Black King? He’s a Black man… Confident, unapologetic, and fearless!”
598. I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.
599. “I am a woman who came from the cotton fields of the South. From there I was promoted to the washtub. From there I was promoted to the cook kitchen. And from there I promoted myself into the business of manufacturing hair goods and preparations.” - Madam CJ Walker
600. “All we say to America is, ‘Be true to what you said on paper.’ If I lived in China or even Russia, or any totalitarian country, maybe I could understand the denial of certain basic First Amendment privileges, because they hadn't committed themselves to that over there. But somewhere I read of the freedom of assembly. Somewhere I read of the freedom of speech. Somewhere I read of the freedom of the press. Somewhere I read that the greatness of America is the right to protest for right.”
601. Make no mistake, the strong black man is enough to take on whatever the world has to throw at him, but you’re not sure if he doesn’t care or thinks it’s beneath him.
602. “Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.”
603. Whatever is bringing you down, get rid of it. Because you’ll find that when you’re free. . . your true self comes out. – Tina Turner
604. “I for one believe that if you give people a thorough understanding of what confronts them and the basic causes that produce it, they’ll create their own program, and when the people create a program, you get action.” — Malcolm X
605. We cannot be satisfied as long as the Negro’s basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one.
606. “I learned that racism, like most systems of oppression, isn’t about bad people doing terrible things to people who are different from them but instead is a way of maintaining power for certain groups at the expense of others.” ― Alicia Garza, The Purpose of Power: How We Come Together When We Fall Apart
607. “If you have no confidence in self, you are twice defeated in the race of life.” – Marcus Garvey
608. Black kings are extremely hard-working and dedicated to providing for their families and loved ones. They believe in themselves, their families, their culture, as well as their future success.
609. “There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered.” —Nelson Mandela
610. “There are two rules in life: Number 1, never quit! Number 2, never forget rule number one.” —Duke Ellington
611. The strongest black man is the one who knows his strength and yet does not use it.
612. My being a strong African man is real. It’s not a joke; it’s not a fantasy. It’s the truth. It’s my reality.
613. In the process of gaining our rightful place, we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred.
614. “Instead of letting your hardships and failures discourage or exhaust you, let them inspire you. Let them make you even hungrier to succeed.” —Michelle Obama
615. “When I liberate myself, I liberate others. If you don’t speak out ain’t nobody going to speak out for you.” — Fannie Lou Hamer
616. “Be passionate and move forward with gusto every single hour of every single day until you reach your goal.” —Ava DuVernay
617. “Not only must we stop telling ourselves no, we have to internalize our right to make mistakes and to use error as an entry point to more knowledge.” Stacey Abrams
618. “An artist must be free to choose what he does, certainly, but he must also never be afraid to do what he might choose.” —Langston Hughes
619. “If we are to have peace on earth, our loyalties must become ecumenical rather than sectional. Our loyalties must transcend our race, our tribe, our class, and our nation; and this means we must develop a world perspective.” (Christmas Sermon, 1967.)
620. “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.” — Martin Luther King, Jr., “Letter from Birmingham Jail”
621. The black king is a powerful symbol of deep and abiding strength. This is why he figures so prominently in many black communities as a sign of unity and strength.
622. True peace is not merely the absence of tension; it is the presence of justice.
623. “We must cease being participants in our own oppression.” - Stacey Abrams
624. “We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of Now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy.” (“I Have a Dream,” 1963.)
625. A strong black king is a man who respects the dignity of his wife, mother, and other women in his home. He cares for them as they care for him.
626. A black king is strong, powerful, and courageous. He is a master of his domain, ready to take on any task.
627. “Change is made of choices, and choices are made of character.” —Amanda Gorman, Call Us What We Carry
628. “Walls turned sideways are bridges.” - Angela Davis
629. Being a black man is not a perfect science. You’ll make mistakes, but eventually, you’ll find your own way to succeed.
630. “Where you see wrong or inequality or injustice, speak out, because this is your country. This is your democracy. Make it. Protect it. Pass it on.” — Thurgood Marshall, 1978 University of Virginia commencement speech
631. “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’”
632. “Financial independence gives us the power to decide our futures and liberate our conception of what’s possible.” Stacey Abrams
633. I think education is power. I think that being able to communicate with people is power. One of my main goals on the planet is to encourage people to empower themselves. – Oprah Winfrey
634. “In recognizing the humanity of our fellow beings, we pay ourselves the highest tribute.” – Thurgood Marshall
635. “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
636. The strong black man is the first to act and the last to lose his cool. He sets high standards for himself and lives up to them.
637. “Don’t try to lessen yourself for the world; let the world catch up to you.” - Beyoncé Knowles
638. “Even if it makes others uncomfortable, I will love who I am.” —Janelle Monáe
639. A black king is patient and hardworking, providing for his family while persevering through life’s struggles with a smile on his face.
640. “In all things that are purely social we can be as separate as the fingers, yet one as the hand in all things essential to mutual progress.” —Booker T. Washington
641. “As black women, we’re always given these seemingly devastating experiences—experiences that could absolutely break us. But what the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the master calls the butterfly. What we do as black women is take the worst situations and create from that point.” —Viola Davis
642. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Most Inspiring Motivational Quotes
643. Whatever is normal to the rest of the world is irrelevant to the black king. He has a strong personality, and his confidence is unbridled.
644. Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle.
645. A black king’s energy and passion lead others to become inspired by his vision. Without him, everything would fall apart.
646. “Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die, life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly.” – Langston Hughes
647. “Sometimes, I feel discriminated against, but it does not make me angry. It merely astonishes me. How can any deny themselves the pleasure of my company? It’s beyond me.” —Zora Neale Hurston
648. “True heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic. It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost, but the urge to serve others at whatever cost.” —Arthur Ashe
649. A strong man makes himself small so that his power may go out and spread to others.
650. A black king is a hardworking intelligent male of African heritage who is a noble and knowledgeable natural leader.
651. “I know that love is ultimately the only answer to mankind’s problems.” (“Where Do We Go From Here?” 1967.)
652. “Success? I don’t know what that word means. I’m happy. But success, that goes back to what in somebody’s eyes success means. For me, success is inner peace. That’s a good day for me.” —Denzel Washington
653. “We who engage in nonviolent direct action are not the creators of tension. We merely bring to the surface the hidden tension that is already alive.”
654. The black man has a firm stance. He is daring, courageous, bold, and fearless.
655. Forgiveness is not an occasional act. It is a permanent attitude.
656. “Don’t try to lessen yourself for the world; let the world catch up to you.” —Beyoncé
657. “Let no man pull you low enough to hate him.”
658. “The things that make us different, those are our super powers.” – Lena Waithe
659. “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”
660. “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
661. “No person is your friend who demands your silence or denies your right to grow.” – Alice Walker
662. “Black history isn’t a separate history. This is all of our history, this is American history, and we need to understand that. It has such an impact on kids and their values and how they view black people.” – Karyn Parsons
663. “I feel safe in the midst of my enemies, for the truth is all powerful and will prevail.” —Sojourner Truth
664. We shall match your capacity to inflict suffering by our capacity to endure suffering. We will meet your physical force with soul force. Do to us what you will. And we shall continue to love you.
665. “ . . . don't let them take you over. Walk into the room knowing you are the best. Shoulders back, chin up. Their attitudes will totally change.” - Misty Copeland
666. “Somebody once said we never know what is enough until we know what’s more than enough.” —Billie Holiday
667. “Knowing that it has never been done before makes me want to fight even harder.” - Misty Copeland
668. The black king is a very powerful being. He will gain respect from others and he will be feared, but he’s always true to himself.
669. “Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome while trying to succeed.” – Booker T. Washington
670. “We should seek out all the doors which still remain ajar, however slight the opening might be.” - Angela Davis
671. “Greatness is not measured by what a man or woman accomplishes, but by the opposition he or she has overcome to reach his goals.” – Dorothy Height
672. “It’s okay to fall down. Get up, look sickening, and make them eat it!” —Ru Paul
673. A black king is a black man, confident in his masculinity, unapologetic in his intentions, and fearless of judgment and criticism.
674. A black king is a fearless black man. He knows that he is made in the image of God and without fear, he will walk in his purpose.
675. “I embrace mistakes. They make you who you are.” - Beyoncé Knowles
676. The strong black man is the one who isn’t afraid to be himself.
677. “Power is not given to you. You have to take it.” - Beyoncé Knowles
678. “It’s pretty hard for the Lord to guide you if you haven’t made up your mind which way to go.” - Madam CJ Walker
679. “Let no man pull you so low as to hate him.” (“The Most Durable Power,” 1956.) Keep the inspiration flowing with these inspiring John Lewis quotes about voting, education, and social justice.
680. A black king is a person who respects other people and always has good manners, even when he’s in a bad situation.
681. “The best way to not feel hopeless is to get up and do something. Don’t wait for good things to happen to you. If you go out and make some good things happen, you will fill the world with hope, you will fill yourself with hope.” ―Barack Obama
682. “Let us all hope that the dark clouds of racial prejudice will soon pass away, and the deep fog of misunderstanding will be lifted from our fear-drenched communities, and in some not-too-distant tomorrow, the radiant stars of love and brotherhood will shine over our great nation with all their scintillating beauty.”
683. “Don’t wait around for other people to be happy for you. Any happiness you get you’ve got to make yourself.” —Alice Walker
684. Every defeat, every heartbreak, every loss, contains its own seed, its own lesson on how to improve your performance next time.” — Malcolm X
685. “For when people get caught up with that which is right and they are willing to sacrifice for it, there is no stopping point short of victory.”
686. “I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. This is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant.” (Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech, 1964.)
687. A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus.
688. A Black King does what he feels is right. He knows that there is nothing that can hold him back from having the life he wants to live. He does not apologize for being black or successful and will fiercely defend any real or imagined slight against his race.
689. “A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus.” -Martin Luther King, Jr.
690. A black man is the kind of king you want by your side in all your battles.
691. “the way to right wrongs is to turn the light of truth upon them”—ida b wells
692. “I have a lot of things to prove to myself. One is that I can live my life fearlessly.” - Oprah Winfrey
693. Just don’t give up what you’re trying to do. Where there is love and inspiration, I don’t think you can go wrong. – Ella Fitzgerald
694. “The African-American experience is one of the most important threads in the American tapestry.” – Bill Frist
695. Times are tough. When the going gets rough, and everything else fails, the black king rises above and sets the tone for others to follow.
696. Never be limited by other people’s limited imaginations. If you adopt their attitudes, then the possibility won’t exist because you’ll have already shut it out…You can hear other people’s wisdom, but you’ve got to re-evaluate the world for yourself. – Mae Jemison
697. The African man is a beautiful specimen of humanity. He is dedicated to the betterment of his continent. A man who is always striving to improve the lives of others, a real lover, and a provider for his family.
698. “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”
699. “In the process of gaining our rightful place, we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline.”
700. “If you’re going to hold someone down you’re going to have to hold on by the other end of the chain. You are confined by your own repression.” – Toni Morrison
701. “Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome while trying to succeed.” —Booker T. Washington
702. “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.”
703. “Whites, it must frankly be said, are not putting in a similar mass effort to reeducate themselves out of their racial ignorance. It is an aspect of their sense of superiority that the white people of America believe they have so little to learn.
704. “We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.” (Speech in St. Louis, 1964.)
705. A black king is not only a non-conformist and a warrior, but he is also brave enough to be different.
706. “No hay que llorar/ Que la vida es un carnaval.” (There’s no need to cry. Life is a carnival.) —Celia Cruz
707. Imagine a world where we all could be as strong and fearless as our black kings.
708. “Dear Young Black Males… Our Future Black Kings: I’m 100% rooting for you, I wholeheartedly believe in you, I deeply care about you, I genuinely love you, and I honestly want to see you succeed in EVERY area of your life.”
709. “Rarely do we find men who willingly engage in hard, solid thinking. There is an almost universal quest for easy answers and half-baked solutions. Nothing pains some people more than having to think.”
710. “Don’t sit down and wait for the opportunities to come. Get up and make them.” - Madam CJ Walker
711. You are a man with the strength of a lion, the dedication and determination of a crocodile, and the grace of a gazelle. You are a black king.
712. “Admitting mistakes is a fundamental skill too few of us learn. In Part, this is because we’ve been taught it’s wrong to be wrong.” Stacey Abrams
713. “We must use time creatively, in the knowledge that the time is always right to do right.” (“Letter from a Birmingham Jail,” 1963.) Get inside the head of anther inspiring man with these James Baldwin quotes.
714. “There comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe nor politic nor popular, but he must take it because his conscience tells him it is right.” (“A Proper Sense of Priorities,” 1968.) Now, learn how the clenched fist became a Black power symbol.
715. A black king is fearless because he’s embraced the true nature of his kingship, which is to lead and conquer. He is unapologetic about his beliefs and desires for success because he is a black man who has strong principles that he lives by.
716. A strong black king is the most impressive man on earth. He is very committed and determined to be a winner. He treats others with respect and integrity.
717. “Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.” (Strength to Love, 1963.)
718. “Black history isn’t a separate history. This is all of our history, this is American history, and we need to understand that. It has such an impact on kids and their values and how they view black people.” —Karyn Parsons
719. “My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.” ―Maya Angelou
720. “I am lucky that whatever fear I have inside me, my desire to win is always stronger.” —Serena Williams
721. “You are your best thing.” —Toni Morrison
722. “It isn’t where you come from; it’s where you’re going that counts.” – Ella Fitzgerald
723. A right delayed is a right denied.
724. A black king is a gentleman who never insults another. He has been raised according to his culture and traditions.
725. “Courage is an inner resolution to go forward despite obstacles. Cowardice is submissive surrender to circumstances. Courage breeds creativity; Cowardice represses fear and is mastered by it. Cowardice asks the question, is it safe? Expediency asks the question, is it politic? Vanity asks the question, is it popular? But conscience asks the question, is it right?
726. ”We must reject not only the stereotypes that others hold of us, but also the stereotypes that we hold of ourselves.” - Shirley Chisolm
727. Being a king doesn’t make you invincible, but it can help you get through a few tough situations.
728. A black king is a maestro of the art of living. He is distinguished by his remarkable physical characteristics, such as height and muscularity, proud bearing and upright carriage, straight features, and proud expression.
729. Living in the moment means letting go of the past and not waiting for the future. It means living your life consciously, aware that each moment you breathe is a gift. – Oprah Winfrey
730. “Diversity is not about how we differ. Diversity is about embracing one another’s uniqueness.” – Ola Joseph
731. “If you are always trying to be normal, you will never know how amazing you can be.” - Maya Angelou
732. “I have learned that as long as I hold fast to my beliefs and values. and follow my own moral compass, then the only expectations I need to live up to are my own." - Michelle Obama
733. Black Kings are not perfect by no means. But are perfect in their imperfections.
734. “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.” (“I Have a Dream,” 1963.)
735. “Only make decisions that support your self-image, self-esteem, and self-worth.” - Oprah Winfrey
736. “When the heart is right, the mind and body will follow.” - Coretta Scott King
737. “Never be limited by other people’s limited imaginations.” – Dr. Mae Jemison
738. “Identity is a prison you can never escape, but the way to redeem your past is not to run from it, but to try to understand it, and use it as a foundation to grow.” —Jay-Z
739. A black king’s skin colour doesn’t determine his ability to become a King.
740. The strong black man is someone who’s not afraid of standing out in a crowd. He makes you look twice when everyone else looks at him, but he doesn’t care about being noticed.
741. “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
742. ”I want history to remember me not just as the first black woman to be elected to Congress, not as the first black woman to have made a bid for the presidency of the United States, but as a black woman who lived in the 20th century and dared to be herself.” - Shirley Chisolm
743. The power and style of a black man is never in doubt. His enemies, however, might beg to differ.
744. If you can't fly then run, if you can't run then walk, if you can't walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.
745. “Failure is an important part of your growth and developing resilience. Don’t be afraid to fail." - Michelle Obama
746. “Self-esteem comes from being able to define the world in your own terms and refusing to abide by the judgments of others.” - Oprah Winfrey
747. The strong black man isn’t always perfect; he can fall prey to the temptations of modern living. But in his heart, he knows he has a responsibility to be for his community.
748. “Remember this in the darkest moments, when the work doesn’t seem worth it, and change seems just out of reach: out of our willingness to push through comes a tremendous power . . . use it.” Stacey Abrams
749. ”Defeat should not be the source of discouragement, but a stimulus to keep plotting.” - Shirley Chisolm
750. “Start unknown, finish unforgettable.” - Misty Copeland
751. A black king has strength that comes from having allowed himself to be vulnerable. He can admit his mistakes and grow from them.
752. “You have to act as if it were possible to radically transform the world. And you have to do it all the time.” - Angela Davis
753. “Courage is the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can’t practice any other virtue consistently.” - Maya Angelou
754. “When you are willing to make sacrifices for a great cause, you will never be alone.” - Coretta Scott King
755. “Stand up straight and realize who you are, that you tower over your circumstances. You are a child of God. Stand up straight.” - Maya Angelou
756. A black king speaks truth to power because it is his nature to do so. He is charitable to the less fortunate because it’s in his DNA to give back.
757. “He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.” —Muhammad Ali
758. The strong black man is someone who doesn’t just face the world; he owns it. He is a leader and makes a difference.
759. Black kings don’t think twice about their actions, they do what they want when they want and demand respect at all times.
760. “There can be no deep disappointment where there is not deep love.”
761. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: ‘we hold these truths to be self-evident – that all men are created equal’.
762. A strong black king is a man who carries himself with more dignity than anyone else in the room. He projects confidence, honour, and respect to everyone around him because he has earned the right to be treated that way.
763. “There comes a time when people get tired of being pushed out of the glittering sunlight of life’s July and left standing amid the piercing chill of an alpine November.” (“The Montgomery Bus Boycott,” 1955.) Now that you’ve finished reading these Martin Luther King, Jr. quotes, get even more inspired with these powerful Black History Month quotes.
764. “Forgiveness is not an occasional act. It is a permanent attitude.” (“Love in Action,” 1962.)
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