It is unfortunate that we should find ourselves at this time the only disorganized group. Others have had the advantage of organization for centuries, so what seems to them unnecessary, from a racial point of view, becomes necessary to us, who have had to labor all along under the disadvantage of being scattered without a racial aim or purpose.

Marcus Garvey

Categorized in : Views Racism Organization

We must give up the silly idea of folding our hands and waiting on God to do everything for us. If God had intended for that, then he would not have given us a mind. Whatever you want in life, you must make up your mind to do it for yourself.

Marcus Garvey

giving-up silly hands

Never forget that intelligence rules the world and ignorance carries the burden. Therefore, remove yourself as far as possible from ignorance and seek as far as possible to be intelligent.

Marcus Garvey

intelligent ignorance world

We are going to emancipate ourselves from mental slavery because whilst others might free the body, none but ourselves can free the mind. Mind is your only ruler, sovereign. The man who is not able to develop and use his mind is bound to be the slave of the other man who uses his mind.

Marcus Garvey

use mind men

Always try to associate with people from whom you can learn something. All the knowledge that you want is in the world, and all you have to do is go and seek it.

Marcus Garvey

trying people world

A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots.

Marcus Garvey

love relationship friendship

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

Marcus Garvey

greatness black racism

Ambition is the desire to go forward and improve one's condition. It is a burning flame that lights up the life of the individual and makes him see himself in another state. To be ambitious is to be great in mind and soul. To want that which is worth while and strive for it. To go on without looking back, reaching to that which gives satisfaction.

Marcus Garvey

flames light ambition

Take advantage of every opportunity; where there is none, make it for yourself.

Marcus Garvey

advantage opportunity

If we as a people realized the greatness from which we came we would be less likely to disrespect ourselves.

Marcus Garvey

disrespect greatness people

Every man has a right to his own opinion. Every race has a right to its own action; therefore let no man persuade you against your will, let no other race influence you against your own.

Marcus Garvey

race action men

God does not... give people positions or jobs or... good conditions such as they desire; they must do that for themselves.. God does not build cities nor towns nor nations, nor homes, nor factories; men and people do that and all those who want must work for themselves and pray to God to give them strength to do it.

Marcus Garvey

godly home jobs

If you have no confidence in self, you are twice defeated in the race of life.

Marcus Garvey

confidence race self

A race that is solely dependent upon another for economic existence sooner or later dies. As we have in the past been living upon the mercies shown by others, and by the chances obtainable, and have suffered there from, so we will in the future suffer if an effort is not made now to adjust our own affairs.

Marcus Garvey

effort race past

I trust that you will so live today as to realize that you are masters of your own destiny, masters of your fate; if there is anything you want in this world, it is for you to strike out with confidence and faith in self and reach for it.

Marcus Garvey

fate destiny self

Intelligence rules the world, ignorance carries the burden.

Marcus Garvey

burden ignorance world

The man who is not able to develop and use his mind is bound to be the slave of the other man who uses his mind

Marcus Garvey

able mind men

If you get up everyday and you don't learn you are

Marcus Garvey

get-up fool everyday

The white man has succeeded in subduing the world by forcing everybody to think his way....The white man's propaganda has made him the master of the world, and all those who have come in contact with it and accepted it have become his slaves.

Marcus Garvey

white-man men thinking

Do not remove the kinks from your hair--remove them from your brain.

Marcus Garvey

kink brain hair

The greatest possesion of man is character

Marcus Garvey

character men