Malcolm X

Civil Rights Activist, Minister

Malcolm X was a prominent civil rights leader known for his advocacy for Black empowerment and his powerful speeches on justice and equality.

Born
May 19, 1925
Died
February 21, 1965
Quotes
780
Rank
#517

About Malcolm X

Malcolm X — Life and Legacy

Malcolm X, born Malcolm Little, was a pivotal figure in the American civil rights movement, known for his articulate and uncompromising stance on racial justice and Black empowerment. His transformative journey from a troubled youth to a powerful orator and leader was marked by his commitment to challenging systemic racism and advocating for self-determination. One of his most famous quotes, 'You can't separate peace from freedom because no one can be at peace unless he has his freedom,' encapsulates his belief that true peace is unattainable without justice and equality. Malcolm X's philosophy was deeply rooted in the idea of self-defense and the necessity of taking action against oppression. He famously stated, 'I don't even call it violence when it's in self-defense; I call it intelligence.' This perspective highlights his rejection of passive resistance in favor of a more assertive approach to civil rights, which he believed was essential for the liberation of African Americans. His willingness to confront the status quo and challenge the prevailing norms of the civil rights movement set him apart as a revolutionary thinker. Today, Malcolm X's quotes continue to resonate, serving as a powerful reminder of the ongoing struggle for justice and equality. His emphasis on the importance of education, self-awareness, and the right to defend oneself remains relevant in contemporary discussions about race and civil rights, inspiring new generations to advocate for systemic change.

Quote collection

Malcolm X quotes (page 1 of 39)

780 quotes — follow a thought to its full quote page.

Malcolm X Civil Rights Activist, Minister
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"One of the first things I think young people, especially nowadays, should learn is how to see for yourself and listen for yourself and think for yourself. Then you can come to an intelligent decision for yourself. If you form the habit of going by what you hear others say about someone, or going by what others think about someone, instead of searching that thing out for yourself and seeing for yourself, you will be walking west when you think you're going east, and you will be walking east when you think you're going west."

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Malcolm X Civil Rights Activist, Minister
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"The media's the most powerful entity on earth. They have the power to make the innocent guilty and to make the guilty innocent, and that's power. Because they control the minds of the masses."

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Malcolm X Civil Rights Activist, Minister
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"A wise man can play the part of a clown, but a clown can't play the part of a wise man."

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Malcolm X Civil Rights Activist, Minister
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"We need more light about each other. Light creates understanding, understanding creates love, love creates patience, and patience creates unity."

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Malcolm X Civil Rights Activist, Minister
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"When the people who are in power want to use again, create an image, to justify something that's bad, they use the press. And they'll use the press to create a humanitarian image, for a devil, or a devil image for a humanitarian. They'll take a person who's a victim of the crime, and make it appear he's the criminal, and they'll take the criminal and make it appear that he's the victim of the crime."

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Malcolm X Civil Rights Activist, Minister
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"If you don't stand for something you will fall for anything."

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Malcolm X Civil Rights Activist, Minister
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"When you live in a poor neighborhood, you are living in an area where you have poor schools. When you have poor schools, you have poor teachers. When you have poor teachers, you get a poor education. When you get a poor education, you can only work in a poor-paying job. And that poor-paying job enables you to live again in a poor neighborhood. So, it's a very vicious cycle."

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Malcolm X Civil Rights Activist, Minister
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"I have more respect for a man who lets me know where he stands, even if he's wrong, than the one who comes up like an angel and is nothing but a devil."

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Malcolm X Civil Rights Activist, Minister
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"Be peaceful, be courteous, obey the law, respect everyone; but if someone puts his hand on you, send him to the cemetery."

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Malcolm X Civil Rights Activist, Minister
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"If you stick a knife nine inches into my back and pull it out three inches, that is not progress. Even if you pull it all the way out, that is not progress. Progress is healing the wound, and America hasn't even begun to pull out the knife."

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Malcolm X Civil Rights Activist, Minister
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"If you're not careful, the newspapers will have you hating the people who are being oppressed, and loving the people who are doing the oppressing."

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Malcolm X Civil Rights Activist, Minister
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"I'm for truth, no matter who tells it. I'm for justice, no matter who it is for or against. I'm a human being, first and foremost, and as such I'm for whoever and whatever benefits humanity as a whole."

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Malcolm X Civil Rights Activist, Minister
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"You're not supposed to be so blind with patriotism that you can't face reality. Wrong is wrong, no matter who says it."

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Malcolm X Civil Rights Activist, Minister
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"The mother is the first teacher of the child. The message she gives that child, that child gives to the world."

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Malcolm X Civil Rights Activist, Minister
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"Read absolutely everything you get your hands on because you'll never know where you'll get an idea from."

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Malcolm X Civil Rights Activist, Minister
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"You have to be very careful introducing the truth to the black man, who has never previously heard the truth about himself. The black brother is so brainwashed that he may reject the truth when he first hears it. You have to drop a little bit on him at a time, and wait a while to let that sink in before advancing to the next step"

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Malcolm X Civil Rights Activist, Minister
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"For the white man to ask the black man if he hates him is just like the rapist asking the raped, or the wolf asking the sheep, 'Do you hate me?' The white man is in no moral position to accuse anyone else of hate! Why, when all of my ancestors are snake-bitten, and I'm snake-bitten, and I warn my children to avoid snakes, what does that snake sound like accusing me of hate-teaching?"

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Malcolm X Civil Rights Activist, Minister
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"You can't separate peace from freedom because no one can be at peace unless he has his freedom."

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Malcolm X Civil Rights Activist, Minister
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"If you form the habit of taking what someone else says about a thing without checking it out for yourself, you'll find that other people will have you hating your friends and loving your enemies."

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