We must complain. Yes, plain, blunt complaint, ceaseless agitation, unfailing exposure of dishonesty and wrong - this is the ancient, unerring way to liberty and we must follow it.

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There is in this world no such force as the force of a person determined to rise. The human soul cannot be permanently chained.

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Either America will destroy ignorance or ignorance will destroy the United States.

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There may often be excuse for doing things poorly in this world, but there is never any excuse for calling a poorly done thing, well done.

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To be a poor man is hard, but to be a poor race in a land of dollars is the very bottom of hardships.

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Daily the Negro is coming more and more to look upon law and justice, not as protecting safeguards, but as sources of humiliation and oppression. The laws are made by men who have little interest in him; they are executed by men who have absolutely no motive for treating the black people with courtesy or consideration; and, finally, the accused law-breaker is tried, not by his peers, but too often by men who would rather punish ten innocent Negroes than let one guilty one escape.

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I am especially glad of the divine gift of laughter: it has made the world human and lovable, despite all its pain and wrong.

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Lord of the springtime, Father of flower, field and fruit, smile on us in these earnest days when the work is heavy and the toil wearisome; lift up our hearts, O God, to the things worthwhile-sunshine and night, the dripping rain, the song of the birds, books and music, and the voices of our friends. Lift up our hearts to these this night and grant us Thy peace. Amen.

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The future woman must have a life work and economic independence. She must have the right of motherhood at her own discretion.

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The cause of war is preparation for war.

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