It’s Black History Month collegiettes! Every February it is time to celebrate the achievements and contributions of outstanding African Americans as well as reflecting on the central role African Americans have played in U.S. history and culture. Big names like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Frederick Douglass and Jesse Owens all come to mind. Many of these greats have said some pretty empowering and uplifting things and HCWPUNJ wants to highlight a few! Here are 5 Quotes for Black History Month that will inspire you and allow you to reflect!
1. Dr. Mae Jemison
“Never be limited by other people’s limited imaginations.”
As the first African American women to go into space, Dr. Jemison was making strides within the science community!
2. Frederick Douglass
“The limits of tyrants are prescribed by the endurance of those whom they oppress.”
Douglass was a famous abolitionist, author and orator! Born a slave then escaped at 20, he vowed to become a prominent anti-slavery activist and fight back against slavery and racism.
3. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
“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.”
While a baptist minister, he was known as a catalyst of the Civil Rights Movement, always promoting peaceful protesting and using the power of words to question the unlawfulness against African Americans.
4. President Barack Obama
“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.”
Obama, our first African-American president to take office, was one who fought for the people and gave phenomenal speeches, helped reduce the unemployment rate and
5. Maya Angelou
“You are the sum total of everything you’ve ever seen, heard, eaten, smelled, been told, forgot – it’s all there. Everything influences each of us, and because of that I try to make sure that my experiences are positive.”
Known for her moving poems and stories, Maya, a brilliant author and poet wrote about the oppression she faced and racism throughout her lifetime as well as other topics such as family and travel.