This icon of the American civil rights movements often gets less mainstream recognition in light of what some might label a controversial legacy. Born Malcolm Little, his political activity began in earnest while he was in prison, where he immersed himself in books and joined the Nation of Islam. This organization stood in opposition to the civil rights movement’s goals of integration, championing instead black supremacy and empowering black communities apart from white communities.
Following a long career as a leader of the Nation of Islam, Malcolm X went on to leave the movement and criticize some of its philosophies and actions. He converted to Sunni Islam and completed the Hajj, traveling throughout the Middle East and Africa in doing so. These transformative experiences, especially witnessing the diversity of worshippers at the Hajj, shifted his perspective on relationships between different races.
His ideas around black self-determination, self-defense, and militant resistance to racism and social inequality inspired the philosophy of the Black Panther Party. His autobiography, thankfully dictated before his assassination, describes his life’s physical and philosophical journey in enlightening detail.
• I don't even call it violence when it's in self defense, I call it intelligence. Nonviolence is fine as long as it works. • Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today. • If you have no critics you'll likely have no success. • Be peaceful, be courteous, obey the law, respect everyone, but if someone puts his hand on you, send him to the cemetery. • Power in defense of freedom is greater than power in behalf of tyranny and oppression. • You're not supposed to be so blind with patriotism that you can't face reality. Wrong is wrong no matter who does it or who says it. • To me the earth's most explosive and pernicious evil is racism, the inability of God's creatures to live as One, especially in the Western world. • You get freedom by letting your enemy know that you'll do anything to get your freedom, then you'll get it. It's the only way you'll get it. • 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. • Truth is on the side of the oppressed.

Henry David Thoreau was a renowned writer, naturalist and inspiration for all who wish to connect with the simple beauty of nature. He was a key figure of the transcendentalist movement of the early 1800s, a movement which emphasized the beauty and goodness of nature and individuals.
Thoreau is perhaps best known for his book Walden, in which he reflects on living a simple, isolated life in a humble cabin in nature. He wasn’t truly out in the wilderness, but rather in a scenic spot nearby a small town— his experiences and writing capture the deep tranquility one can find in such a place of beauty and calm.
Thoreau also wrote extensively on political topics of his era. His views leaned toward anarchism, and he was also a staunch abolitionist. Both slavery and the Mexican-American war influence his work "Civil Disobedience," an essay on engaging in protest against an unjust government. The essay still resonates today, and went on to influence such leaders as Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr.
• In the long run you hit only what you aim at. Therefore, though you should fail immediately, you had better aim at something high. • I takes two to speak the truth - one to speak and another to hear. • What we do best or most perfectly is what we have most thoroughly learned by the longest practice, and at length it falls from us without our notice, as a leaf from a tree. • We make ourselves rich by making our wants few. • I would rather sit on a pumpkin and have it all to myself, than be crowded on a velvet cushion. • Do not worry if you have built your castles in the air. They are where they should be. Now put the foundations under them. • It is not enough to be busy, so are the ants. The question is: What are we busy about? • Every generation laughs at the old fashions, but follows religiously the new. • The rich man... is always sold to the institution which makes him rich. • Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it. • It is never too late to give up our prejudices. • I had three chairs in my house, one for solitude, two for friendship, three for society. • Do not trouble yourself much to get new things, whether clothes or friends... Sell your clothes and keep your thoughts. • Make the most of your regrets, never smother your sorrow, but tend and cherish it till it comes to have a separate and integral interest. To regret deeply is to live afresh. • Any fool can make a rule, and any fool will mind it. • The man who goes alone can start today, but he who travels with another must wait till that other is ready.

Teachers know it but sometimes everyone else takes it for granted: education is an incredibly powerful tool for changing individuals and society. This collection of powerful one-liners authored by famous literary, philosophical, and political figures highlights the nature and impact of education. The authors of these quotes acknowledge education for the unstoppable social and political force that it is. If you find inspiration from them, share with the educators and learners in your lives.
• "Education is the key to unlock the golden door of freedom." - George Washington Carver • "Freedom can occur only through education." - Friedrich Schiller • "My idea of education is to unsettle the minds of the young and inflame their intellects." - Robert M. Hutchins • "Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire." - William Yeats • "Education is the art of making man ethical." - Georg Wilhelm Hegel • "Education is all a matter of building bridges." - Ralph Ellison • "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." - Nelson Mandela • "Education is a debt due from the present to the future generations."- George Peabody • "Let people have an education and you can't stop them." - La Monte Young

Classic beauty, famed actress, symbol of sex and scandal, Marilyn Monroe’s cutting wit and enticing personality continues to captivate audiences and admirers decade after decade. This selection of quotes captures the essence of what made her such an icon — an amalgam of pithy humor, confident sex-appeal, and cultivated self-awareness. Here’s some quotes for women by woman that gives a perspective.
• Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius and it's better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring. • A strong man doesn't have to be dominant toward a woman. He doesn't match his strength against a woman weak with love for him. He matches it against the world. • A man has a tendency to accept you the way you are, while most women immediately start to pick flaws and want to change you. • A woman knows by intuition, or instinct, what is best for herself. • I am good, but not an angel. I do sin, but I am not the devil. I am just a small girl in a big world trying to find someone to love. • I want to grow old without facelifts. I want to have the courage to be loyal to the face I have made. • I am not interested in money. I just want to be wonderful. • If I'd observed all the rules, I'd never have got anywhere. • I've never dropped anyone I believed in. • First, I'm trying to prove to myself that I'm a person. Then maybe I'll convince myself that I'm an actress. • Fear is stupid. So are regrets.

Half of people experience some form of mental illness in their lifetimes, yet mental illness is still treated as taboo and tragedy, and mental health taken for granted. These quotes are about bringing attention to mental illness and what a universal experience it truly is. They are not necessarily from people who have themselves experienced mental illness, nor are they all inspiration for people who currently have a mental illness. These are about mental health awareness, the significance of bringing attention and adequate resources to mental health, and the need to develop understanding to overcome the stigma surrounding mental illness.
• "Mental illness can happen to anybody. You can be a dustman, a politician, a Tesco worker... anyone. It could be your dad, your brother or your aunt." - Frank Bruno • "Mental illness is the last frontier. The gay thing is part of everyday life now on a show like 'Modern Family,' but mental illness is still full of stigma. Maybe it is time for that to change." - Eric McCormack • "Sadness is a super important thing not to be ashamed about but to include in our lives. One of the bigger problems with sadness or depression is there's so much shame around it. If you have it you're a failure. You are felt as being very unattractive." - Mike Mills • "My recovery from manic depression has been an evolution, not a sudden miracle." - Patty Duke • "Mental health needs a great deal of attention. It's the final taboo and it needs to be faced and dealt with." - Adam Ant • "People talk about physical fitness, but mental health is equally important. I see people suffering, and their families feel a sense of shame about it, which doesn't help. One needs support and understanding." - Deepika Padukone • "Mental health problems do not affect three or four out of every five persons, but one out of one." - Karl Menninger • "We take our kids for physical vaccinations, dental exams, eye checkups. When do we think to take our - our son or daughter for a mental health checkup?" - Gordon Smith • "Self-esteem is as important to our well-being as legs are to a table. It is essential for physical and mental health and for happiness." - Louise Hart

For thousands of years, the philosophy of Confucius has spread across the globe. Once tied to a rigid system of traditional practices in ancient China, Confucius’s teachings live on in the contemporary world, inspiring and motivating individuals worldwide with morsels of wisdom and humor. Take some time to reflect on this selection of Confucius’s sayings which can help you throughout life.
• Wherever you go, go with all your heart. • Silence is a true friend that never betrays. • The superior man is distressed by the limitations of his ability, he is not distressed by the fact that men do not recognize the ability that he has. • A man who has committed a mistake and doesn't correct it is committing another mistake. • Do not impose on others what you yourself do not desire. • When anger rises, think of the consequences. • To see the right and not to do it is cowardice. • He who learns but does not think is lost, he who thinks but does not learn is in danger. • The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential... these are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence. • The superior man acts before he speaks, and afterwards speaks according to his action. • It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop. • The man who asks a question is a fool for a minute, the man who does not ask is a fool for life. • Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance. • By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest, Second, by imitation, which is easiest, and third by experience, which is the bitterest. • In a country well governed, poverty is something to be ashamed of. In a country badly governed, wealth is something to be ashamed of.

The scientific community and beyond still mourn the brilliant mind and bright spirit of Stephen Hawking. An accomplished physicist and cosmologist, Hawking leaves behind this selection of quotations that reveal his humor and unique perspective on life. Practical yet mindful, Hawkins engaged in a rich, imaginative inquiry into the nature of the universe. His unfailing optimism will continue to motivate and inspire future generations.
• Sometimes I wonder if I'm as famous for my wheelchair and disabilities as I am for my discoveries. • Life would be tragic if it weren't funny. • We are just an advanced breed of monkeys on a minor planet of a very average star. But we can understand the Universe. That makes us something very special. • My goal is simple. It is a complete understanding of the universe, why it is as it is and why it exists at all. • Someone told me that each equation I included in the book would halve the sales. • Women. They are a complete mystery. • I would like nuclear fusion to become a practical power source. It would provide an inexhaustible supply of energy, without pollution or global warming. • I'm not afraid of death, but I'm in no hurry to die. I have so much I want to do first. • In Britain, like most of the developed world, stem-cell research is regarded as a great opportunity. America will be left behind if it doesn't change policy. • People won't have time for you if you are always angry or complaining. • For millions of years mankind lived just like the animals. Then something happened which unleashed the power of our imagination. We learned to talk. • I believe in universal health care. And I am not afraid to say so.

Maya Angelou stands as one of the greatest poets of the 20th century. She was both artist and activist, and her work explores a variety of topics such as identity, feminism, and racism. Maya Angelou’s writing encompasses a dynamic range of emotion that stretches across time to captivate readers. Her words continue to resonate. Whether you’re looking for a line from her poetry or prose, or other commentary from her on writing and life, this selection of her quotes is for you.
• It's one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself, to forgive. Forgive everybody. • You can't use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have. • You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it. • Prejudice is a burden that confuses the past, threatens the future and renders the present inaccessible. • You may write me down in history With your bitter, twisted lies, You may trod me in the very dirt But still, like dust, I'll rise. • If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude. • My mother said I must always be intolerant of ignorance but understanding of illiteracy. That some people, unable to go to school, were more educated and more intelligent than college professors. • Some critics will write 'Maya Angelou is a natural writer' - which is right after being a natural heart surgeon. • Bitterness is like cancer. It eats upon the host. But anger is like fire. It burns it all clean. • As far as I knew white women were never lonely, except in books. White men adored them, Black men desired them and Black women worked for them. • When you learn, teach. When you get, give. • My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive, and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style. • You don't have to think about doing the right thing. If you're for the right thing, then you do it without thinking. • 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.

Martin Luther King, Jr., icon of the civil rights movement, preached a message of love, peace, and justice that fueled an historic movement and earned him a beloved and respected legacy. He’s one of the few individuals with his own national holiday. Yet there’s more to MLK Jr. than his popular legacy. Read this selection of quotations to gain insight on his lesser known views on economic justice, war, and direct action to gain a more complete understanding of MLK’s model and message. His words stand to inspire not only love, but social and political action. Following are some great quotes we thought worth mentioning.
• At the center of non-violence stands the principle of love. • It may be true that the law cannot make a man love me, but it can keep him from lynching me, and I think that's pretty important. • We must set out to do a good job irrespective of race. We must seek to do our life's work so well that nobody could do it better. • I am not interested in power for power's sake, but I'm interested in power that is moral, that is right and that is good. • A man can't ride your back unless it's bent. • Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity. • Wealth is the smallest thing on earth, the least gift that God has bestowed on mankind. • Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter. • The hottest place in Hell is reserved for those who remain neutral in times of great moral conflict. • We must keep moving. If you can't fly, run, if you can't run, walk, if you can't walk, crawl, but by all means keep moving. • I'm getting sick and tired of people saying that this movement has been infiltrated by Communists. There are as many Communists in this freedom movement as there are Eskimos in Florida. • I feel that segregation is totally unchristian, and that it is against everything the Christian religion stands for. • When you are right you cannot be too radical, when you are wrong, you cannot be too conservative. • Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will. • If you young fellows were wise, the devil couldn't do anything to you, but since you aren't wise, you need us who are old. • A lie cannot live

Moments of change often bring with them great emotion, especially if that moment is a farewell. Some of these quotes are reflections on permanent goodbyes, while others note the feeling of even a temporary parting. Some goodbyes bring pure sadness, while others carry with them a sense of gratitude or hope. Whether you’re trying to say goodbye to someone, reminiscing about a previous goodbye, or simply feeling nostalgic, these quotes are for you.
• "How lucky I am to have something that makes saying Goodbye so hard." - Winnie the Pooh • "Today, I close the door to my past. Open the door to the future, take a deep breath and step on through to start the next chapter in my life." - Unknown • "Even if you know what’s coming, you’re never prepared for how it feels." - Unknown • "Relax, enjoy yourself, try something new." - Unknown • "The most painful goodbyes are the ones that are never said and never explained." - Unknown • "You can love them, forgive them, want good things for them, but still move on without them." - Mandy Hale • "A memory last forever, never does it die, true friends stay together and never say goodbye." - Unknown • "And as you move on, remember me, remember us and all we used to be." - Unknown • "Every parting is a form of death, as every reunion is a type of heaven." - Tryon Edwards • "Saying goodbye doesn’t mean anything. It’s the time we spent together that matters, not how we left it." - Trey Parker • "Where you used to be, there is a hole in the world, which I find myself constantly walking around in the daytime, and falling into at night. I miss you like hell." - Edna St. Vincent Millay • "A farewell is necessary before we can meet again, and meeting again after moments or a lifetime is certain for those who are friends." - Richard Bach • "If you’re brave enough to say goodbye, life will reward you with a new hello." - Paulo Coelho • "Good bye may seem forever. Farewell is like the end, but in my heart is the memory and there you will always be." - Walt Disney • "The return makes one love the farewell." - Louis de Musset • "Ever has it been that love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation." - Khalil Gibran • "Some folks arrive into our lives and depart footprints on our hearts and we are in no way ever the very same." - Flavia Weedn • "The story of life is quicker than the wink of an eye, the story of love is hello and goodbye until we meet again." - Jimi Hendrix • "What we call the beginning is often the end. And to make an end is to make a beginning. The end is where we start from." - T. S. Eliot • "There are no goodbyes for us. Wherever you are, you will always be in my heart." - Mahatma Gandhi • "The two hardest things to say in life are hello for the first time and goodbye for the last." - Moira Rogers • "Don’t be dismayed at goodbyes. A farewell is necessary before you can meet again. And meeting again, after moments or lifetimes, is certain for those who are friends." - Richard Bach • "Yesterday brought the beginning, tomorrow brings the end, though somewhere in the middle we became the best of friends." - Unknown • "The pain of parting is nothing to the joy of meeting again." - Charles Dickens • "You and I will meet again, When we’re least expecting it, One day in some far off place, I will recognize your face, I won’t say goodbye my friend, For you and I will meet again." - Tom Petty • "Painful though parting be, I bow to you as I see you off to distant clouds." - Emperor Saga • "Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end." - Seneca