Whitney M. Young Born : July 31, 1921Died : March 11, 1971 Browse All Authors Top 18 quotes by Whitney M. Young It is better to be prepared for an opportunity and not have one than to have an opportunity and not be prepared. Whitney M. Young african-americanopportunityinspirational Every man is our brother, and every man’s burden is our own. Where poverty exists, all are poorer. Where hate flourishes, all are corrupted. Where injustice reins, all are unequal. Whitney M. Young hatebrothermen I am not anxious to be the loudest voice or the most popular. But I would like to think that at a crucial moment, I was an effective voice of the voiceless, an effective hope of the hopeless. Whitney M. Young hopelessvoicethinking Black Power simply means: Look at me, I'm here. I have dignity. I have pride. I have roots. I insist, I demand that I participate in those decisions that affect my life and the lives of my children. It means that I am somebody. Whitney M. Young pridemeanchildren You can holler, protest, march, picket and demonstrate, but somebody must be able to sit in on the strategy conferences and plot a course. There must be strategies, the researchers, the professionals to carry out the program. That's our role. Whitney M. Young plotableroles You don’t get black power by chanting it. You get it by doing what the other groups have done. The Irish kept quiet. They didn’t shout “Irish Power”, “Jew Power”, [or] “Italian Power”. They kept their mouths shut and took over the police department of New York City, and the mayorship of Boston. Whitney M. Young italiancitiesnew-york Black is beautiful when it is a slum kid studying to enter college, when it is a man learning new skills for a new job, or a slum mother battling to give her kids a chance for a better life. But white is beautiful, too, when it helps change society to make our system work for black people also. White is ugly when it oppresses blacks-and so is black ugly when black people exploit other blacks. No race has a monopoly on vice or virtue, and the worth of an individual is not related to the color of his skin. Whitney M. Young motherbeautifuljobs The unhealthy gap between what we preach in America and what we often practice creates a moral dry rot that eats at the very foundation of our democratic ideals and values. Whitney M. Young democratic-idealspracticeamerica Support the strong, give courage to the timid, remind the indifferent, and warn the opposed. Whitney M. Young strongcouragegiving No race has a monopoly on vice or virtue, and the worth of an individual is not related to the color of his skin. Whitney M. Young black-historycolorrace The hardest work in the world is being out of work. Whitney M. Young unemploymentworkworld The danger is that people may mistake what is basically a change in vocabulary for a change in behavior, practices, and attitudes. While practically all Americans have learned to talk inoffensively, not enough have learned to think differently, nor act positively. Whitney M. Young mistakeattitudethinking Stretch your mind and fly. Whitney M. Young mindfulnessmind We create an environment where it is alright to hate, to steal, to cheat, and to lie if we dress it up with symbols of respectability, dignity and love. Whitney M. Young hatelovelying Liberalism seems to be related to the distance people are from the problem. Whitney M. Young distanceproblempeople Black is beautiful when it is a slum kid studying to enter college, when it is a man learning new skills for a new job. . . . Whitney M. Young beautifuljobschildren Our ability to create has outreached our ability to use wisely the products of our invention. Whitney M. Young inventionabilityuse I've been on so many blind dates I should get a free dog. Whitney M. Young getfreeblinddog
