96 Black History Month Quotes Celebrating Heritage and Resilience

February is a time to honor the achievements and recognize the struggles of the Black community.

That’s why we have compiled a list of the best Black History Month quotes for your next post.

And if you’re looking for short, powerful quotes for Instagram, we also have you covered.

Now go ahead and browse through to find your favorite.

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Black History Month Quotes

“Diversity is not about embracing one’s another uniqueness.” – Ola Joseph

“It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.” – Frederick Douglass

“Hating people because of their color is wrong. And it doesn’t matter which color does the hating. It’s just plain wrong.” – Muhammad Ali

“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

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.

“If there is no struggle, there is no progress.” – Frederick Douglass

“You have seen how a man was made a slave; you shall see how a slave was made a man.” – Frederick Douglass

“Black history is part of American history, and it should be treated as such.” – Janelle Monae

“Freedom is never given; it is won.” – A. Philip Randolph

“You can’t separate peace from freedom because no one can be at peace unless he has his freedom.” – Malcolm X

“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

“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

“Whatever we believe about ourselves and our ability comes true for us.” – Susan L. Taylor

“Education is for improving the lives of others and for leaving your community and world better than you find it.” – Marian Wright Edelman

“We must never forget that Black History is American History. The achievements of African Americans have contributed to our nation’s greatness.” – Yvette Clarke

“The African-American experience is one of the most important threads in the American tapestry.” – Bill Frist

“The thing about black history is that the truth is so much more complex than anything you could make up.” – Henry Louis Gates

“Hate is too great a burden to bear. It injures the hater more than it injures the hated.” – Coretta Scott King

“The time is always right to do what is right.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.

“For children, diversity needs to be real and not merely relegated to learning the names of the usual suspects during Black History Month or enjoying south-of-the-border cuisine on Cinco de Mayo. It means talking to and spending time with kids not like them so that they may discover those kids are in fact just like them.” – John Ridley

“Black history is American history.” – Morgan Freeman

“Have a vision. Be demanding.” – Colin Powell

“The cost of liberty is less than the price of repression.” – W.E.B. Du Bois

“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

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” – Nelson Mandela

“You must never be fearful about what you are doing what is right.” – Rosa Parks

“History has shown us that courage can be contagious and hope can take on a life of its own.” – Michelle Obama

“We all have dreams. In order to make dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, self-discipline and effort.” – Jesse Owens

“Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.” – Harriet Tubman

“Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die, life is a broken winged bird that cannot fly.” – Langston Hughes

“We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.

“I have learned over the years that when one’s mind is made up, this diminishes fear.” – Rosa Parks

“Never be limited by other people’s limited imaginations.” – Dr. Mae Jemison

“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

“In recognizing the humanity of our fellow beings, we pay ourselves the highest tribute.” – Thurgood Marshall

“Whatever we believe about ourselves and our ability comes true for us.” – Susan L. Taylor

“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

“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

“For Africa to me… is more than a glamorous fact. It is a historical truth. No man can know where he is going unless he knows exactly where he has been and exactly how he arrived at his present place.” – Dr. Maya Angelou

“God gives nothing to those who keep their arms crossed.” – African Proverb

“Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope… and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring those ripples build a current that can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.” – Robert F. Kennedy

“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

“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.” – Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

“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

“Defining myself, as opposed to being defined by others, is one of the most difficult challenges I face.” – Carol Moseley-Braun

“If we accept and acquiesce in the face of discrimination, we accept the responsibility ourselves and allow those responsible to salve their conscience by believing that they have our acceptance and concurrence. We should, therefore, protest openly everything… that smacks of discrimination or slander.” – Mary McLeod Bethune

“Laundry is the only thing that should be separated by color.” – Author Unknown

“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

“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

“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

“We have learned to fly the air like birds and swim the sea like fish, but we have not learned the simple art of living together as brothers. Our abundance has brought us neither peace of mind nor serenity of spirit.” – Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

“Our nation is a rainbow – red, yellow, brown, black, and white – and we’re all precious in God’s sight.” – Jesse Jackson

“I was raised to believe that excellence is the best deterrent to racism or sexism.” – Oprah Winfrey

“A good head and a good heart are always a formidable combination.” – Nelson Mandela

“Surround yourself with people who take their work seriously, but not themselves, those who work hard and play hard.” – Colin Powell

“One of the hardest things in life is having words in your heart that you can’t utter.” – James Earl Jones

“He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.” – Muhammad Ali

“One thing is clear to me: We, as human beings, must be willing to accept people who are different from ourselves.” – Barbara Jordan

“We may encounter many defeats but we must not be defeated.” – Maya Angelou

“One important key to success is self-confidence. An important key to self-confidence is preparation.” – Arthur Ashe

“Greatness can be captured in one word: lifestyle. Life is God’s gift to you, style is what you make of it.” – Mae Jemison

“There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered.” – Nelson Mandela

“Real integrity is doing the right thing, knowing that nobody’s going to know whether you did it or not.” – Oprah Winfrey

“Human salvation lies in the hands of the creatively maladjusted.” – Martin Luther King Jr.

“Non-cooperation is a measure of discipline and sacrifice, and it demands respect for the opposite views.” – Mohandas Gandhi

“In nature, nothing is perfect and everything is perfect.” – Alice

“Never be limited by other people’s limited imaginations.” — Dr. Mae Jemison

“The cost of liberty is less than the price of repression.” — W.E.B. Du Bois

“In recognizing the humanity of our fellow beings, we pay ourselves the highest tribute.” — Thurgood Marshall

“Hate is too great a burden to bear. It injures the hater more than it injures the hated.” — Coretta Scott King

“Whatever we believe about ourselves and our ability comes true for us.” — Susan L. Taylor

“Defining myself, as opposed to being defined by others, is one of the most difficult challenges I face.” — Carol Moseley-Braun

“My humanity is bound up in yours, for we can only be human together.” — Desmond Tutu

“Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die, life is a broken winged bird that cannot fly.” — Langston Hughes

“If there is no struggle, there is no progress.” — Frederick Douglass

“The time is always right to do what is right.” — Martin Luther King, Jr.

“Have a vision. Be demanding.” — Colin Powell

“Freedom is never given; it is won.” — A. Philip Randolph

“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

“We all have dreams. In order to make dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, self-discipline and effort.” — Jesse Owens

“I have learned over the years that when one’s mind is made up, this diminishes fear.” — Rosa Parks

“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

“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

“He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.” — Muhammad Ali

“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

“The need for change bulldozed a road down the center of my mind.” — Maya Angelou

“Truth is powerful and it prevails.” — Sojourner Truth

“I can accept failure. Everyone fails at something. But I can’t accept not trying.” — Michael Jordan

“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

“Hold on to your dreams of a better life and stay committed to striving to realize it.” — Earl G. Graves, Sr.

“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