Black History Month is an important time to reflect on the contributions and achievements of African Americans throughout history. As students, it is crucial to understand the struggles and triumphs of the black community in order to create a more inclusive and equitable society. To inspire and educate students during Black History Month, here are 33 quotes from influential black leaders, activists, and artists that should be known and remembered:

1. “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” – Martin Luther King Jr.

2. “I am somebody. I am me. I like being me. And I need nobody to make me somebody.” – Louis Armstrong

3. “The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any.” – Alice Walker

4. “Don’t let anyone rob you of your imagination, your creativity, or your curiosity. It’s your place in the world; it’s your life.” – Dr. Mae Jemison

5. “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.” – Booker T. Washington

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

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

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

9. “Be proud of who you are and where you come from.” – Angela Davis

10. “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

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

12. “To be a poor man is hard, but to be a poor race in a land of dollars is the very bottom of hardships.” – W.E.B. Du Bois

13. “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” – Maya Angelou

14. “Racism is a man’s gravest threat to man – the maximum of hatred for a minimum of reason.” – Abraham Joshua Heschel

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

16. “There is no such thing as a single-issue struggle because we do not live single-issue lives.” – Audre Lorde

17. “Never underestimate the power of dreams and the influence of the human spirit.” – Wilma Rudolph

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

19. “Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.” – Malcolm X

20. “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.” – Booker T. Washington

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

22. “You are your best thing.” – Toni Morrison

23. “We cannot seek achievement for ourselves and forget about progress and prosperity for our community.” – Cesar Chavez

24. “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” – Maya Angelou

25. “If you’re not prepared to be wrong, you will never come up with anything original.” – Ken Robinson

26. “The future belongs to those who prepare for it today.” – Malcolm X

27. “You should never view your challenges as a disadvantage. Instead, it’s important for you to understand that your experience facing and overcoming adversity is actually one of your biggest advantages.” – Michelle Obama

28. “I raise up my voice not so that I can shout, but so that those without a voice can be heard. We cannot succeed when half of us are held back.” – Malala Yousafzai

29. “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” – Martin Luther King Jr.

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

31. “If you have no confidence in self, you are twice defeated in the race of life. With confidence, you have won even before you have started.” – Marcus Garvey

32. “I am not tragically colored. There is no great sorrow dammed up in my soul, nor lurking behind my eyes.” – Zora Neale Hurston

33. “Our worth is not measured by year, wear, or hairstyle. Our worth is measured by the lives we’ve touched, the love we’ve given, and the hope we inspire.” – Nikki Giovanni

These quotes serve as a reminder of the resilience, strength, and wisdom of the black community. As students, it is important to reflect on these words and the lessons they impart in order to continue the fight for equality and justice for all. Let us honor the legacy of these influential figures and celebrate Black History Month by amplifying their voices and teachings.