1. That is America to menot just the movement for civil rights but the endless struggle to respond with decency, dignity and a sense of brotherhood to all the challenges that face us as a nation, as a whole. John Lewis, 63. A big salute to fallen soldiers. And thats how I operate my life. Oprah Winfrey, talk show host, author, actress, producer and philanthropist, 75. We all require and want respect, man or woman, black or white. You can think of yourself as a colorless person, but nobody else is gonna. Don Cheadle, The breakdown of the Black community, in order to maintain slavery, began with the breakdown of the Black family. To help you, we've rounded up 21 inspiring Black History Month quotes. Every year, this day is celebrated on the last Monday in the . - Beth Pennington. Sun Tzu. According to Blight, Hampton Park, named after Confederate General Wade Hampton, replaced the gravesite at the Martyrs of the Race Course, and the graves were reinterred in the 1880s at a national cemetery in Beaufort, S.C. Some say the first Memorial Day took place on May 1, 1865, when a large group of recently freed African Americans held a parade in Charleston, South Carolina, to honor fallen Union soldiers . The resilience. Freedom is not something that one people can bestow on another as a gift. Family members of fallen soldiers prepare to decorate graves in May of 1899. Because youll find that when youre free . Thats my cultural historical background, my genetic makeup, but its not all of who I am, nor is it the basis from which I answer every question. Denzel Washington, actor, director and producer, 29. Embrace what makes you unique, even if it makes others uncomfortable. I was just tired of giving up. [No one says] You know what? Thats my cultural, historical background, my genetic makeup, but its not all of who I am, nor is it the basis from which I answer every question. Denzel Washington, I also believe that you are what you have to defend, and if youre a Black man, thats always going to be the bar against which you are judged, whether you want to align yourself with those themes or not. DuBois, author, social activist and educator who was also the first Black man to graduate from Harvard with a PhD; DuBois co-founded the NAACP in 1909, 12. 80+ Black History Month Quotes will help you honor the black men and women in your workplace. Here are Morgan Freemans Black History Month quotes: Youre going to relegate my history to a month? Love takes off the masks we fear we cannot live without and know we cannot live within. James Baldwin, 54. We have to talk about liberating minds as well as liberating society. Angela Davis, American activist, author and academic, 74. "It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. 2. Happy Memorial Day Images 2022, Pictures, Photos, HD Wallpapers Free Download. The raw, unfiltered, and untouched soul we have can not be touched. Solange Knowles, You never cede control of your own ability to be successful to something called racism. Condoleezza Rice, Every great dream begins with a dreamer. The thing about Black history is that the truth is so much more complex than anything you could make up. Henry Louis Gates, professor, historian, filmmaker and literary critic, 16. 8 Memorial Day Quotes for Crafters | Memorial Day Shirts. I soon became a Negro. I have standards I dont plan on lowering for anybody, including myself. Have a vision. And youve got to pick the side that youre going to be on. Pharrell Williams, rapper, singer/songwriter, record producer, entrepreneur and fashion designer, 83. 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. Just by the merit, the color of your skin. Bring your best to the moment. On the occasion of Memorial day 2022, let's pay veneration to the profound fallen soldiers and pray to God to give strength to their families. Yet, reacting to every incident, real or imagined, is crippling, tiring and ultimately counterproductive. Condoleezza Rice, the first Black female Secretary of State and the first woman to serve as National Security Advisor, 20. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.. 9. W.E.B. Happy memorial day! Students need to learn about their history in order to know how to approach current situations, especially when it comes to racism. Impossible is temporary. We dont want police to leave; we want policing in our world. Its about what youve given back. I soon became a Negro. Forty CRPF personnel were killed on February 14, 2019, when their convoy was attacked by a suicide bomber on the Srinagar-Jammu highway in J&K's Pulwama district. Nothing is gained from prejudice. We are all the same in this notion: The potential for greatness lives within each of us. Wilma Rudolph, Olympic champion, 76. Heres our list of Black History Month quotes for students that will empower you: Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. Dont let anything stop you. Its our basic human right. Aretha Franklin, singer, songwriter and pianist, considered one of the greatest musicians of all time, 39. I dont stand for the White mans side. Today we honor you, salute you for defending our country and our freedom. I have learned that it is no one elses job to take care of me but me. Race is a constant factor in American life. 21 Color SVG Files * 21 Color DXF Files * 21 Color PNG Files * 21 Color EPS File. End of story. Issa Rae, writer, actor and director, 79. "I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country." Nathan Hale. It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost, but the urge to serve others at whatever cost. How can any deny themselves the pleasure of my company? I would also like to be thought of as a complex, three-dimensional, flesh-and-blood human being with a rich storehouse of experiences, much like everyone else yet unique in my own way, much like everyone else. Coretta Scott King, author, activist and civil rights leader in the 1960s who is known as the First Lady of the Civil Rights Movement, 65. No one benefits from racism. Thurgood Marshall, A people without the knowledge of their history is like a tree without roots. Marcus Garvey, The thing about Black history is that the truth is so much more complex than anything you could make up. Henry Louis Gates, I am not a racist. Civil war photographs, 1861-1865, Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division. Its hard work that makes things happen. What do you do with yours? There will be times when youll be disappointed, but you cant stop. The work of honoring the dead began right away all over the country, and several American towns claim to be the birthplace of Memorial Day. It injures the hater more than it injures the hated. Somebody once said we never know what is enough until we know whats more than enough. Fashion can be used as a cultural translator and a tool against colonization; it re-establishes the balance between symbols, stories and different worlds through style. Stella Jean, fashion designer, 85. We have to document our history. The struggles within yourselfthe invisible, inevitable battles inside all of usthats where its at. You may not always be popular, but youll be part of something larger and bigger and greater than yourself. It is a wonderful, almost holy experience. Kasi Lemmons, The New Black doesnt blame others for our issues. Anyone who claims to be a leader must speak like a leader. "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.". 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. I can only change how they live, not how they think. Ntozake Shange, poet, academic, playwright and feminist who wrote about race and Black issues in the 1970s to early 2000s, 52. If you fall behind, run faster. Black history is American history. Morgan Freeman, actor, director and producer, RD.com, Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images, 33. Do we care to match the reality of America to its ideals? I am the part you wont recognize. Melvina Young. Today we know with certainty that segregation is dead. The future is ours. If they dont give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair. "Your life was a blessing, your memory a treasure, you are loved beyond words and missed beyond measure.". Diversity is about embracing one anothers uniqueness. I can only change how they live, not how they think. Ntozake Shange, Hope is tenacious. We should, therefore, protest openly everything that smacks of discrimination or slander. Black, confident, cocky; my name, not yours; my religion, not yours; my goals, my own; get used to me. Muhammad Ali, Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave, I am the dream and the hope of the slave. You just communicate that in the way you live your life. Angela Bassett, actress, 26. Below, youll also find wise words and provoking ideas from other inspiring leaders and modern figures. It is time we must also do the same, especially in our workplaces. Faith is taking the first step even when you dont see the whole staircase. Martin Luther King Jr. Read up on the Black Americans you didnt learn about in history class. If we cant look at the good, bad and ugly of who we are, we are never going to progress as people ever. "Fallen . Theodore Roosevelt. Three hundred years of humiliation, abuse and deprivation cannot be expected to find a voice in a whisper. Martin Luther King Jr. Sometimes history takes things into its own hands. Thurgood Marshall, You dont have to live near me; just give me my share of the equality. Nina Simone, When Black women stand upas they did during the Montgomery Bus Boycott, as they did during the Black liberation eraearth-shaking changes occur. Angela Y. Davis, Children holding hands, walking with the wind. Its an opinion. Next, check out these incredible books by Black authors and the Black-owned bookstores to buy them from. Memorial Day Quotes. Motivational Black history quotes from Black leaders. We get our noses blown off. Erykah Badu, musician, actress and producer, 36. . (Library of Congress) In the years following the bitter Civil War, a former Union general took a holiday originated by former Confederates and helped spread it across the entire country. It is not some enchanted garden perched high on a distant plateau where we can finally sit down and rest. Vantage Circle. - Theodore Geisel (Dr. Seuss) "I'll hold you in my heart until I can hold you in heaven.". [Photo/Image via chicagocrusader.com] Although May 30, 1868 is cited as the first national commemoration of Memorial Day at Arlington National Cemetery, events lead by African Americans in Charleston, SC to decorate the graves of fallen Civil War soldiers occurred on May 1, 1865, less than a month after the . Save Article. All Rights Reserved. Make a difference about something other than yourselves. We should emphasize not Negro History, but the Negro in history. "Never forget, ever honor". We had no alternative but to sell to ourselves. Dapper Dan, fashion designer and haberdasher, 84. The battles that count arent the ones for gold medals. Unless we start to fight and defeat the enemies in our own country, poverty and racism, and make our talk of equality and opportunity ring true, we are exposed in the eyes of the world as hypocrites when we talk about making people free. Shirley Chisholm, first Black woman to be elected to Congress (in 1968) and to run for president (in 1972), 3. Never give up, never surrender and rise up against all odds. Jesse Jackson, American political activist, politician and Baptist preacher, 10. When Black women stand upas they did during the Montgomery Bus Boycott, as they did during the Black liberation eraearth-shaking changes occur. Angela Y. Davis, political activist, author and philosopher, 62. "Those who have long enjoyed such privileges as we enjoy forget in time that men have died to win them.". Number 2 always remember rule number one. Every great dream begins with a dreamer. We are the change that we seek. Barack Obama, first Black president of the United States, 7. It marks their journey in U.S History. I rise. Maya Angelou, If you fall behind, run faster. I dont do White music. We can offer them no better tribute than to protect what they have won for us.". Country Living. You might not know any bigots. All Orientations. Richard Gardiner. $4.00. Robert A. Heinlein. As black women, were always given these seemingly devastating experiences experiences that could absolutely break us. Its beyond me. In order to make dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, self-discipline and effort. Quotes, 60 Confidence Quotes to Help You Understand Your Self-Worth, Chris Evans Inspiring Quotes on Happiness, Success, and Being Laser Focused on Love, Paralympic Medalist Blake Leeper Praises 2-Year-Old Boy for Learning to Walk With a Prosthetic Leg, 15-Year-Old Adopted Boy Takes Up Crocheting as a Hobby Ends Up Changing Thousands of Lives, Homeless Man With Photographic Memory Gets a Cup of Coffee at McDonalds Unexpectedly Ends Up With $100,000, 7-Year-Old Takes Little Brother to His Class One Day, Hes Curious to See What Happens Behind Closed Doors. May 22, 2015 - Explore Lynda Thomas's board "Memorial Day", followed by 400 people on Pinterest. Your willingness to look at your darkness is what empowers you to change. You feel like, Well, I dont hate Black people, so Im not a racist, but you benefit from racism. Never be limited by other peoples limited imaginations. Du Bois. 1 Maya Angelou. Their spirits are marching again. I believe in human beings and that all human beings should be respected as such, regardless of their color. Malcolm X, It is certain, in any case, that ignorance, allied with power, is the most ferocious enemy justice can have. James Baldwin, Let womans claim be as broad in the concrete as the abstract. I write for young girls of color, for girls who dont even exist yet, so that there is something there for them when they arrive. It is still not easy to prove oneself as a woman, but in the past, most black women couldnt even dare to dream about success. happy workplace. I dont do Black music. Just find a new way to stand. Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced. "Brave men are all vertebrates; they have their softness on the surface and their toughness in the middle.". If you know whence you came, there is really no limit to where you can go. James Baldwin, 20th-century poet, novelist, playwright and activist, 6. But get used to me. Still, in order to properly pause, reflect, and pay your respects to the . Have a vision of excellence, a dream of success, and work like hell. A man without knowledge of himself and his heritage is like a tree without roots. In honor of Black History Month, weve rounded up a list of inspirational quotes from civil rights icons and abolitionists including Martin Luther King Jr., Frederick Douglass, Rosa Parks and Harriet Tubman. We as Black people have to tell our own stories. I . If you are silent about your pain, theyll kill you and say that you enjoyed it. Zora Neale Hurston, author, anthropologist, folklorist and filmmaker in the early 1900s to 1960s. Available in HD, SD, Photoshop and individual slides. My humanity is bound up in yours, for we can only be human together. The following quotes belong to people who have and continue to inspire and encourage millions around the world. 1. Memorial Day is a federal holiday in the United States to honor and mourn the U.S. military personnel who have died. 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. 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. "Ceremonies are important. We recommend our users to update the browser. Life, Idaho, Black History. We all require and want respect, man or woman, Black or White. Im going to stop calling you a white man, and Im going to ask you to stop calling me a black man. If there is no struggle, there is no progress. Frederick Douglass, American social reformer, abolitionist, statesman and a national leader in the abolitionist movement in the late 19th century, 64. Your children could be taken from you and literally sold down the river. Kerry Washington, Take a stand for whats right. An April 1865 photo of the graves of Union soldiers buried at the race course-turned-Confederate-prison where historians believe the earliest Memorial Day ceremony took place. When a . From creating witty and unique inventions that impact the day-to-day lives of Americans to influencing sports and fashion, Black people have made a mark on American history that can never be erased. I rise. Its hard work that creates change. Its our basic human right. Aretha Franklin, Watch us walk, watch us move, watch us overcome, listen to our voices, the sway. Truth is powerful, and it prevails. Sojourner Truth, abolitionist and womens rights activist who gave the famous Aint I a Woman speech in 1851 at the Ohio Womens Rights Convention. The Oscar-winning actor thinks that racism can end when we stop talking about it as long as were pointing out something, we are still stigmatizing, even if our intentions are good. On Memorial Day, we remember those who have given their lives in service of their country. The achievements of African Americans have contributed to our nations greatness. But I think that people arent comfortable with each other. Lynn Whitfield, When I was born, I was colored. But I am still first and foremost in search of freedom. Harry Belafonte, Im very proud to be Black, but Black is not all I am. Never underestimate the power of dreams and the influence of the human spirit. By Tara Reed Designs. Here are our top Black History Month quotes from famous figures and speeches that you should know: 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. When I was born, I was colored. Just U.S. history. Watch us walk, watch us move, watch us overcome, listen to our voices, the sway. It is excellence. Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world. Nelson Mandela, politician and South African anti-apartheid activist who was elected the first president of South Africa, 11. I felt if I could take one lyncher with me, this would even up the score a little bit. Vantage Circle. It merely astonishes me. You dont have to live near me; just give me my share of equality. Nina Simone, 61. The idea behind his statement was that black people dont need a separate history celebration since all of it is part of American History. Diversity is not about how we differ. The innovation. 5k+ Downloads "A great soul serves everyone all the time. He Was Fatally Beaten by Memphis Police Now People Around the World Are Sharing #SunsetsForTyre in His Honor, 41 Daughter Quotes That Will Touch and Melt Your Heart, Viola Davis On The Privilege of Being Yourself, Michael Jordans Most Powerful Life Lessons For When You Feel Like a Failure, 5 Daily Habits to Steal from Beyonce, Including Her Powerful Trick for Loving Her Flaws, 20 Most Inspiring Martin Luther King Jr. The innovation. It keeps you explaining, over and over again, your reason for being. Thats not the sole requirement. We need to talk about these things in order for them to change. Dave Chapelle. Once you know who you are, you dont have to worry anymore. Nikki Giovanni, American poet, activist and educator, 56. Richard Puz, The Carolinian. Im very proud to be Black, but Black is not all I am. Starting at 9 a.m., about 3,000 black schoolchildren paraded around the race track holding roses and singing the Union song John Browns Body, and were followed by adults representing aid societies for freed black men and women. The thing about black history is that the truth is so much more complex than anything you could make up. Freedom is the continuous action we all must take, and each generation must do its part to create an even more fair, more just society. John Lewis, civil rights leader who led the Bloody Sunday march across the Edmund Pettis Bridge on March 7, 1965, served 17 terms in the U.S. House of Representatives and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2011, 49. Country Living. Photos 20.9K Videos 12.4K Users 5.6K. The holiday was Memorial Day, an annual . Because someday in your life you will have been all of these. To understand the importance of shared history, everyone must recognize and empathize with the pains, sufferings, success, and progress of the Black community. 1. And wherever you are heading, you cannot get there by yourself. 8. I do fight music, unified in Christ music. Lecrae, born-again Christian who uses his music platform to bridge the gap between millennials and the church, 37. I rise. Add to Cart . We have some impulse within us that makes us want to explain ourselves to other human beings. Maya Angelou, 51. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world. Harriet Tubman, former enslaved American abolitionist, political activist and one of the most famous figures on the Underground Railroad in the 19th century, 43. Coretta Scott King. Boost employee engagement with this FREE guide! I had no idea that history was being made. Impossible is not a declaration. 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