An inch of progress is worth more than a yard of complaint.

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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.

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Decide to be your best. In the long run the world is going to want and have the best and that might as well be you.

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Think about it: we went into slavery pagans; we came out Christians. We went into slavery pieces of property; we came out American citizens. We went into slavery with chains clanking about our wrists; we came out with the American ballot in our hands.

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

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Never get to the point where you will be ashamed to ask anybody for information. The ignorant man will always be ignorant if he fears that by asking another for information he will display ignorance. Better once display your ignorance of a certain subject than always know nothing of it.

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Political activity alone cannot make a man free. Back of the ballot, he must have property, industry, skill, economy, intelligence, and character.

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The happiest people are those who do the most for others. The most miserable are those who do the least.

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There is another class of coloured people who make a business of keeping the troubles, the wrongs, and the hardships of the Negro race before the public. Having learned that they are able to make a living out of their troubles, they have grown into the settled habit of advertising their wrongs — partly because they want sympathy and partly because it pays. Some of these people do not want the Negro to lose his grievances, because they do not want to lose their jobs.

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Great men cultivate love...only little men cherish a spirit of hatred

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