Black Nationalism Quotes

• The political philosophy of black nationalism means that the black man should control the politics and the politicians in his own community; no more.

  Malcolm X

  Philosophy, Mean, Men

  "The Ballot or The Bullet (Cleveland Version)". Malcolm X's speech at Cory Methodist Church in Cleveland, Ohio (April 3, 1964) as quoted in "Malcolm X Speaks: Selected Speeches and Statements" edited by George Breitman (pp. 23-44), 1965.

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• When you go to a church and you see the pastor of that church with a philosophy and a program that's designed to bring black people together and elevate black people, join that church. Join that church. If you see where the NAACP is preaching and practicing that which is designed to make black nationalism materialize, join the NAACP. Join any kind of organization, civic, religious, fraternal, political, or otherwise that's based on lifting the black man up and making him master of his own community.

  Malcolm X

  Religious, Philosophy, Past

  "The Ballot or The Bullet (Detroit Version)". Malcolm X's speech at a meeting sponsored by the Congress for Racial Equality in Detroit, Michigan, April 12, 1964.

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• If [black] nationalism could create a strong and effective insularity, deliver on its promise of self-respect, then the hurt it might cause well-meaning whites, or the inner turmoil it caused people like me, would be of little consequence.

  Barack Obama

  Strong, Hurt, Self

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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.

  Malcolm X

  Truth, Justice, Humanity

  Malcolm X (2015). “The Autobiography of Malcolm X”, p.421, Ballantine Books

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• The white man is too intelligent to let someone else come and gain control of the economy of his community. But you will let anyone come in and take control of the economy of your community, control the housing, control the education, control the jobs, control the businesses, under the pre-text that you want to integrate. No, you outta your mind.

  Malcolm X

  Jobs, Intelligent, Men

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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.

  Malcolm X

  Wisdom, Powerful, Print Media

  "The Awakening of Global Consciousness: A Guide to Self-Realization and Spirituality". Book by Dr. Jawara D. King, p.199, 2010.

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• The economic philosophy of black nationalism only means that our people need to be re-educated into the importance of controlling the economy of the community in which we live, which means that we won't have to constantly be involved in picketing and boycotting other people in other communities in order to get jobs.

  Malcolm X

  Jobs, Philosophy, Mean

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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.

  Malcolm X

  Respect, Peace, Hands

  "Message to the Grass Roots" (speech), Detroit, Mich., 10 Nov. 1963

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• [Black nationalism] is not designed to make the black man reevaluate the white man--you know him already--but to make the black man re-evaluate himself. Don't change the white man's mind; you can't change his mind. And that whole thing about appealing to the moral conscience of America--America's conscience is bankrupt.

  Malcolm X

  Men, White Man, America

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• White people’s number one freedom, in the United States of America, is the freedom to be totally ignorant of those who are other than white. We don’t have to learn about those who are other than white. And our number two freedom is the freedom to deny that we’re ignorant.

  Jane Elliott

  Teacher, Freedom, Ignorance

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• I'm for truth, no matter who tells it. I'm for justice, no matter who it's for or against.

  Malcolm X

  Truth, Justice, Criminal Mind

  "The Autobiography of Malcolm X". Book byMalcolm X (p. 400), 1965.

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  The Black skin is not a badge of shame, but rather a glorious symbol of national greatness.

  Marcus Garvey

  Greatness, Racism, Black

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• You're a slave in your own country, White Man. Each year you get to keep less of the fruits of your labor; each year it gets more difficult to carry the burden the aliens have placed upon you; each year the cheap labor of aliens makes your future less secure; each year you retreat a few steps more into the world of slavery.

  George Lincoln Rockwell

  Country, Future, Men

  "White Power". Book by George Lincoln Rockwell, 1967.

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• Sitting at the table doesn’t make you a diner, unless you eat some of what’s on that plate. Being here in America doesn’t make you an American. Being born here in America doesn’t make you an American.

  Malcolm X

  America, History, Sitting

  "The Ballot or the Bullet". Malcolm X's Speech at Cory Methodist Church, Cleveland, Ohio, teachingamericanhistory.org. April 3, 1964.

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• I'm for truth, no matter who tells it.

  Malcolm X

  Truth, Criminal Mind, Matter

  Malcolm X (2015). “The Autobiography of Malcolm X”, p.372, Ballantine Books

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• Sitting at the table doesn't make you a diner, unless you eat some of what's on that plate.

  Malcolm X

  What It Means To Be An American, Sitting, Diners

  "Malcolm X Speaks: Selected Speeches and Statements". Book by Malcolm X edited by George Breitman, 1965.

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• Our success in America will involve two circles: Black Nationalism and Islam–it will take BN [Black Nationalism] to make our people conscious of doing for self & then Islam will provide the spiritual guidance. BN [Black Nationalism] will link us to Africa and Islam will link us spiritually to Africa, Arabia & Asia.

  Malcolm X

  Spiritual, Self, Circles

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• Feminism is to sexism what black nationalism is to racism; the most rational response to the problem.

  Pearl Cleage

  Racism, Justice, Diversity

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• [Alex] Haley's objective was quite different. Haley was a republican. He was an integrationist. He was very opposed to black nationalism.

  Manning Marable

  Black, Different, Alex

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• I believe that if we could see the chapters that are missing from the book [The Autobiography of Malcolm X], we would gain an understanding as to why perhaps - perhaps - the F.B.I., the C.I.A., the New York Police Department and others in law enforcement greatly feared what Malcolm X was about, because he was trying to build a broad - an unprecedented black coalition across the lines of black nationalism and integration. And in way, it presages 30 years ahead of time, the Million Man March.

  Manning Marable

  New York, Book, Believe

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• Malcolm X never renounced and never stepped away from a strong commitment to black nationalism and black self-determination. That's absolutely clear if you do any analysis of his speeches.

  Manning Marable

  Strong, Determination, Commitment

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• What is clear is that Malcolm X incorporated within the framework of black nationalism a pan-Africanist and internationalist perspective. In doing so, he began to reassess radically earlier positions sexism and patriarchy. He began to break with notions of sexism that he had long held as a member of the Nation of Islam, and began to advance and push forward women leadership in the OAAU.

  Manning Marable

  Perspective, Long, Black

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• The only good produced by the disappearance of Africville was the appearance of a conscious black nationalism … In this regard, Consecrated Ground is the heir of fierce, vengeful, and epic activism.

  George Elliott Clarke

  Epic, Black, Heirs

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• When you want a nation, that's called nationalism... Black nationalism. A revolutionary is a Black nationalist. He wants a nation.

  Malcolm X

  Powerful, Black, Want

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