African American Women Quotes

• I had very supportive parents that made the way for me, even at a time when there were very few women - no women, really; maybe two or three women - and very few, fewer than that, African-American women heading in this direction, so there were very few people to look up to. You just had to have faith.

  Leah Ward Sears

  Faith, Two, People

  "Georgia High Court Chief Justice Leah Ward Sears". "News & Notes" with Ed Gordon, www.npr.org. August 2, 2005.

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  Never underestimate the power of dreams and the influence of the human spirit. We are all the same in this notion: The potential for greatness lives within each of us.

  Wilma Rudolph

  Inspirational, Motivational, Running

  "50 stunning Olympic moments No35: Wilma Rudolph's triple gold in 1960" by Rob Bagchi, www.theguardian.com. June 1, 2012.

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• Don't let anyone rob you of your imagination, your creativity, or your curiosity. It's your place in the world; it's your life. Go on and do all you can with it, and make it the life you want to live.

  Mae Jemison

  Inspirational, Motivational, Positive

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

  Maya Angelou

  Inspirational, Motivational, Change

  Twitter post from Jan 15, 2017

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• Doing the best at this moment puts you in the best place for the next moment.

  Oprah Winfrey

  Inspirational, Positive, Happiness

  "Biography/ Personal Quotes". www.imdb.com.

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• The potential for greatness lives within us all.

  Wilma Rudolph

  Inspirational Sports, Athlete, Greatness

  "50 stunning Olympic moments No35: Wilma Rudolph's triple gold in 1960" by Rob Bagchi, www.theguardian.com. June 1, 2012.

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• Let me tell you something: The only thing that separates women of color from anyone else is opportunity. You cannot win an Emmy for roles that are simply not there.

  Viola Davis

  Winning, Opportunity, Color

  "Viola Davis Becomes the First African-American to Win Emmy for Best Actress in Drama" by Inae Oh, www.motherjones.com. September 21, 2015.

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

  Arthur Ashe

  Racism, Black History, African American

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• 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 G. Woodson

  Religious, Hate, Race

  Carter G. Woodson (2008). “Negro Makers of History”, p.20, Wildside Press LLC

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• I think, though, as African-American women, we are always trained to value our community even at the expense of ourselves, and so we attempt to protect the African-American community.

  Anita Hill

  Thinking, Community, African American

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• Each person must live their life as a model for others.

  Rosa Parks

  Life, Morning, Women

  Biography/Personal Quotes, www.imdb.com.

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• Don't let anyone rob you of hope.

  Pope Francis

  Black Women Inspirational, Inspire Women, Creative Imagination

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

  Mary McLeod Bethune

  Peace, Responsibility, Racism

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

  Marian Wright Edelman

  Inspiring, Happiness, Success

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• Knowing what must be done does away with fear.

  Rosa Parks

  Inspiring, Strong Women, Fear

  Rosa Parks, Gregory J. Reed (1994). “Quiet Strength: The Faith, the Hope, and the Heart of a Woman who Changed a Nation”, Zondervan

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  Every great dream begins with a dreamer.

  Harriet Tubman

  Inspiring, Dream, Passion

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

  Coretta Scott King

  Inspirational, Inspiring, Forgiveness

  "Understanding Cultural Diversity in Today's Complex World". Book by Leo Parvis, p. 54, 2010.

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• I had this idea that I wanted to do this mixture of visions of African American women and visions of African American men. And call it 'The Men' and call it 'The Women' and show different faces of these two people.

  Faith Ringgold

  Men, Ideas, Two

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• Hate is too great a burden to bear.

  Coretta Scott King

  Hater, Famous Love, Inspirational Love

  "Understanding Cultural Diversity in Today's Complex World‎" by Leo Parvis, (p. 54), 2006.

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• 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

  Inspirational, Dream, Hope

  Maya Angelou (2011). “Phenomenal Woman: Four Poems Celebrating Women”, p.9, Random House

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• In diversity there is beauty and there is strength.

  Maya Angelou

  Inspirational, Strength, Beauty

  Maya Angelou (2014). “Rainbow in the Cloud: The Wit and Wisdom of Maya Angelou”, p.9, Hachette UK

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• 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.

  Martin Luther King, Jr.

  Kings, Hate, Light

  "A Gift of Love: Sermons from Strength to Love and Other Preachings".

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• I am the dream and the hope of the slave

  Maya Angelou

  Dream, History, African American

  Maya Angelou (2011). “Phenomenal Woman: Four Poems Celebrating Women”, p.9, Random House

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• I used to want the words 'She tried' on my tombstone. Now I want 'She did it.'

  Katherine Dunham

  Inspirational, Strength, Happiness

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

  Barbara Jordan

  Mistake, Years, People

  Statement on the Articles of Impeachment, delivered 25 July 1974, House Judiciary Committee

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