I think the black man in America wants to be recognized as a human being; and it's almost impossible for one who has enslaved another to bring himself to accept the person who used to pull his plow, who used to be an animal, subhuman, who used to be considered as such by him-it's almost impossible for that person in his right mind to accept that person as his equal.

Your door is shut against my tightened face, And I am sharp as steel with discontent; But I possess the courage and the grace To bear my anger proudly and unbent. The pavement slabs burn loose beneath my feet.

I have seen white settlers in Africa who had sworn that they would never sit down to table with those "smelly blacks" sit down quite happily with half-nude tribesmen once a country achieves independence. It is the context of power which changes behavior and transmutes antipathy into sympathy.

When you're wrong, you're wrong. But when you're right, you're wrong anyhow.

For goodness sake, will they hear, will white people hear what we are trying to say? Please, all we are asking you to do is to recognize that we are humans, too.

We don't want apartheid liberalized. We want it dismantled. You can't improve something that is intrinsically evil.

Just because I smile and smile And happiness is my coat ... You think that I'm a gatepost Numb to the stab of pain. Just because of the laugh on my lips And my eyes lowered in respect You think I'm like a stone And don't know what it is to die.