The simplest truths often meet the sternest resistance and are slowest in getting general acceptance. Frederick Douglass More Quotes by Frederick Douglass More Quotes From Frederick Douglass No, I make no pretension to patriotism. So long as my voice can be heard on this or the other side of the Atlantic, I will hold up America to the lightning scorn of moral indignation. In doing this, I shall feel myself discharging the duty of a true patriot; for he is a lover of his country who rebukes and does not excuse its sins. Frederick Douglass voicecountryamerica Without culture there can be no growth; without exertion, no acquisition; without friction, no polish; without labor, no knowledge; without action, no progress; and without conflict, no victory. The man who lies down a fool at night, hoping that he will waken wise in the morning, will rise up in the morning as he laid down in the evening. Frederick Douglass wisemorninglying Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will. Frederick Douglass tyrantsfreedompower There is a class of people who seem to think that if a man should fall overboard into the sea with a Bible in his pocket it would hardly be possible to drown. I prayed for twenty years but received no answer until I prayed with my legs. Frederick Douglass menfallthinking People might not get all they work for in this world, but they must certainly work for all they get. Frederick Douglass freedomworklife For it is not light that is needed, but fire; it is not the gentle shower, but thunder. We need the storm, the whirlwind, and the earthquake. The feeling in the nation must be quickened, the conscience of the nation must be roused, the propriety of the nation must be startled, the hypocrisy of the nation must be exposed: and its crimes against God and man must be denounced. Frederick Douglass lightfiremen I am a Republican, a black, dyed in the wool Republican, and I never intend to belong to any other party than the party of freedom and progress. Frederick Douglass blackfreedomparty In life you don't get everything you pay for, but you must pay for everything you get. Frederick Douglass pay I know of no rights of race superior to the rights of humanity... Frederick Douglass racehumanityrights This struggle may be a moral one, or it may be a physical one, and it may be both moral and physical, but it must be a struggle. Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will. Find out just what any people will quietly submit to and you have found out the exact measure of injustice and wrong which will be imposed upon them, and these will continue till they are resisted with either words or blows, or with both. The limits of tyrants are prescribed by the endurance of those whom they oppress. Frederick Douglass tyrantsstruggleblow A slave is someone who sits down, and waits for someone to free them. Frederick Douglass slavedown-andwaiting Educate your sons and daughters, send them to school, and show them that beside the cartridge box, the ballot box, and the jury box, you also have the knowledge box. Frederick Douglass daughterschoolson I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only increased my desire to be free, and set me to thinking of plans to gain my freedom. I have found that, to make a contented slave, it is necessary to make a thoughtless one. It is necessary to darken his moral and mental vision, and, as far as possible, to annihilate the power of reason. He must be able to detect no inconsistencies in slavery; he must be made to feel that slavery is right; and he can be brought to that only when he ceased to be a man. Frederick Douglass visionmenthinking I will unite with anyone to do good, but with no one to do harm. Frederick Douglass harm Man's greatness consists in his ability to do and the proper application of his powers to things needed to be done. Frederick Douglass patrioticgreatnesspower The Constitutional framers were peace men; but they preferred revolution to peaceful submission to bondage. They were quiet men; but they did not shrink from agitating against oppression. They showed forbearance; but that they knew its limits. They believed in order; but not in the order of tyranny. With them, nothing was "settled" that was not right. With them, justice, liberty and humanity were "final;" not slavery and oppression. Frederick Douglass peacefuljusticemen Neither we, nor any other people, will ever be respected till we respect ourselves and we will never respect ourselves till we have the means to live respectfully. Frederick Douglass respectmeanpeople Praying for freedom never did me any good til I started praying with my feet. Frederick Douglass prayingfeet No man can put a chain about the ankle of his fellow man without at last finding the other end fastened about his own neck. Frederick Douglass patriotic4th-of-julyfreedom If there is no struggle, there is no progress. Frederick Douglass moving-onchangeinspirational
