“In recognizing the humanity of our fellow beings, we pay ourselves the highest tribute.” - Thurgood Marshall “I prefer to be true to myself, even at the hazard of incurring the ridicule of others, rather than to be false and to incur my own abhorrence.” - Frederick Douglass We are the change that we seek.” - President Barack Obama “Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. “Never be limited by other people’s limited imaginations.” - Dr. “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. Fannie Lou Hamer was a bridge.” - Oprah Winfrey
“I am where I am because of the bridges that I crossed. “Truth is powerful and it prevails.” - Sojourner Truth “You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them.” - Maya Angelou “When you can do the common things of life in an uncommon way, you will command the attention of the world.” - George Washington Carver “Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle.” - Martin Luther King Jr. “I have learned over the years that when one’s mind is made up, this diminishes fear knowing what must be done does away with fear.” - Rosa Parks Black History Month helps shine a spotlight on their contributions, but their words can be a motivation to stand up for what is right all year round.
Many of these celebrated Americans have shared what they’ve learned from their struggles, and their words continue to serve as inspiration for adults and children of all generations. Washington, to civil rights activists Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr., to those who were pioneers in their fields, such as Mae Jemison, the first black woman to travel in space, and Jackie Robinson, the first black man to play Major League Baseball, they have all left a mark on history. From former slaves Sojourner Truth and Booker T. Although the struggle isn’t over, we can all be inspired by the men and women whose courage and sacrifice have made this country a better place. Since this country began more than 240 years ago, people of color have had to fight for justice and equal rights.