Birmingham Quotes

• I grew up in Birmingham, where they made useful things and made them well.

  Lee Child

  Grew Up, Made, Useful Things

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• When I go across the country, whether it's Albuquerque, New Mexico, whether it's Birmingham, Alabama or Milwaukee, Wisconsin, there are always forces at play that I choose to relate to and extract inspiration from, and as long as they stay committed to the struggle against poverty, I find a role for myself.

  Harry Belafonte

  Country, Struggle, Inspiration

  "Actor-activist Harry Belafonte, Part 1". "The Tavis Smiley Show" with Tavis Smiley, www.pbs.org. November 30, 2011.

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• While growing up in Birmingham around a lot of West Indian people, reggae and calypso were big influences early on but Otis Redding was the one person who made me wanna sing myself.

  Roland Gift

  Growing Up, People, Calypso

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• Means we use must be as pure as the ends we seek.

  Martin Luther King, Jr.

  Mean, Jail, Use

  Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (2011). “Why We Can't Wait”, p.69, Beacon Press

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• Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.

  Martin Luther King, Jr.

  Freedom, 4th Of July, Direct Action

  "Letter from Birmingham Jail," 16 Apr. 1963

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• Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.

  Martin Luther King, Jr.

  Wisdom, Peace, Kings

  "Letter from Birmingham Jail," 16 Apr. 1963

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• I played with the Birmingham Black Barons. I was making 500 at 14. That was a lot of money in those days.

  Willie Mays

  Black, Making Money, Lots Of Money

  "Greatest All-Around Player in the History of Baseball". The Academy of Achievement Interview, www.achievement.org. February 19, 1996.

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• When I was in Birmingham I used to go to a place called Redwood Field. I used to get there for a two o'clock game. Where can you make this kind of money playing sports? It was just a pleasure to go out and enjoy myself and get paid for it.

  Willie Mays

  Sports, Games, Two

  "Greatest All-Around Player in the History of Baseball". The Academy of Achievement Interview, www.achievement.org. February 19, 1996.

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• I'm in the process of brainstorming with my marketing team and all that stuff, trying to come up with a concept for a late-night restaurant for people in Birmingham.

  Ruben Studdard

  Team, Night, People

  "From Soulful To Mouthful: Ruben Wants To Open Restaurant" by Corey Moss, www.mtv.com. December 22, 2003.

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• This time at Birmingham turned me into a general biologist, and ever since then I have always tried to take a biological approach to any research project that I have undertaken.

  Paul Nurse

  Research, Projects, Approach

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• At ten I was playing against 18-year-old guys. At 15 I was playing professional ball with the Birmingham Black Barons, so I really came very quickly in all sports.

  Willie Mays

  Sports, Years, Guy

  "Greatest All-Around Player in the History of Baseball". The Academy of Achievement Interview, www.achievement.org. February 19, 1996.

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• After an extensive interview he arranged for my weaknesses in foreign languages to be over-looked and so I started a Biology degree at Birmingham in 1967.

  Paul Nurse

  Weakness, Degrees, Interviews

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• Every year I teach dozens of students at the University of Birmingham. Most of the students on the gender and sexuality courses are women. I guess this is because the boys don't think that gender applies to them: that it's a subject for girls.

  Louise Brown

  Girl, Thinking, Boys

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• Baldwin thought Europe was a bore, and Chamberlain thought it was only a greater Birmingham.

  Winston Churchill

  Europe, Bores, Chamberlain

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• I cannot sit idly by in Atlanta and not be concerned about what happens in Birmingham.

  Martin Luther King, Jr.

  Inspirational, Atlanta, Injustice Anywhere

  Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (2013). “The Essential Martin Luther King, Jr.: "I Have a Dream" and Other Great Writings”, p.86, Beacon Press

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• But now I must affirm that it is just as wrong, or perhaps even more so, to use moral means to preserve immoral ends.

  Martin Luther King, Jr.

  Mean, Use, Moral

  "Why We Can't Wait".

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• One has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws.

  Martin Luther King, Jr.

  Inspirational, Religious, Responsibility

  Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (2011). “Why We Can't Wait”, p.60, Beacon Press

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• In some not too distant tomorrow the radiant stars of love and brotherhood will shine over our great nation with all their scintillating beauty.

  Martin Luther King, Jr.

  Kings, Stars, Racism

  Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (2013). “The Essential Martin Luther King, Jr.: "I Have a Dream" and Other Great Writings”, p.106, Beacon Press

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• I have consistently preached that nonviolence demands that the means we use must be as pure as the ends we seek.

  Martin Luther King, Jr.

  Mean, Jail, Use

  Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (2011). “Why We Can't Wait”, p.69, Beacon Press

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• So I have tried to make it clear that it is wrong to use immoral means to attain moral ends. But now I must affirm that it is just as wrong, or even more so, to use moral means to preserve immoral ends.

  Martin Luther King, Jr.

  Mean, Use, Moral

  Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (2013). “The Essential Martin Luther King, Jr.: "I Have a Dream" and Other Great Writings”, p.105, Beacon Press

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• One has not great hopes from Birmingham. I always say there is something direful in the sound.

  Jane Austen

  Cities, Sound, City Life

  'Emma' (1816) ch. 36 (Mrs Elton)

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• Even if our motives are presently misunderstood. We will reach the goal of freedom in Birmingham and all over the nation, because the goal of America is freedom.

  Martin Luther King, Jr.

  Inspirational, America, Goal

  Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (2013). “The Essential Martin Luther King, Jr.: "I Have a Dream" and Other Great Writings”, p.104, Beacon Press

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• I would not hesitate to say that it is unfortunate that so-called demonstrations are taking place in Birmingham at this time, but I would say in more emphatic terms that it is even more unfortunate that the white power structure of this city left the Negro community with no other alternative.

  Martin Luther King, Jr.

  Inspirational, Cities, White

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• The words 'bad timing' came to be ghosts haunting our every move in Birmingham. Yet people who used this argument were ignorant of the background of our planning...they did not realize that it was ridiculous to speak of timing when the clock of history showed that the Negro had already suffered one hundred years of delay.

  Martin Luther King, Jr.

  Moving, Years, People

  Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (2011). “Why We Can't Wait”, p.48, Beacon Press

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• I am cognizant of the interrelatedness of all communities and states. I cannot sit idly by in Atlanta and not be concerned about what happens in Birmingham. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. Never again can we afford to live with the narrow, provincial "outside agitator" idea.

  Martin Luther King, Jr.

  Destiny, Atlanta, Ideas

  "Letter from Birmingham Jail," 16 Apr. 1963

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