Booker T. Washington

American Black Leader and Educator

Lived from: 1856-1915

Quotes: Booker T. Washington

Quotes 1 till 15 of 35.

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Booker T. Washington

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At the bottom of education, at the bottom of politics, even at the bottom of religion, there must be for our race economic independence.
Booker T. Washington

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Character is power.
Booker T. Washington

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Character, not circumstances, makes the man.

Source: Speech Democracy and Education (1896)
Booker T. Washington

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Dignify and glorify common labor. It is at the bottom of life that we must begin, not at the top.
Booker T. Washington

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Excellence is to do a common thing in an uncommon way.
Booker T. Washington

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From some things that I have said one may get the idea that some of the slaves did not want freedom. This is not true. I have never seen one who did not want to be free, or one who would return to slavery.
Source: Up From Slavery (1901) Ch. I: A Slave Among Slaves
Booker T. Washington

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I believe that any man's life will be filled with constant and unexpected encouragement, if he makes up his mind to do his level best each day, and as nearly as possible reaching the high water mark of pure and useful living.
Booker T. Washington

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I learned the lesson that great men cultivate love, and that only little men cherish a spirit of hatred.
Source: Up From Slavery (1901)
Booker T. Washington

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I will not permit any man to narrow and degrade my soul by making me hate him.
Booker T. Washington

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I would permit no man, no matter what his colour might be, to narrow and degrade my soul by making me hate him.
Source: Up From Slavery (1901)
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If you can't read, it's going to be hard to realize dreams.
Booker T. Washington

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If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else.

Source: The Story of My Life and Work, vol. I (1900) ch. XV
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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.
Source: Up From Slavery (1901) Ch. XIV: The Atlanta Exposition Address
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Mere connection with what is known as a superior race will not permanently carry an individual forward unless the individual has worth.
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No greater injury can be done to any youth than to let him feel that because he belongs to this or that race he will be advanced in life regardless of his own merits or efforts.