Here are 10 Powerful Quotes by Kwame Ture (Stokely Carmichael):
1. “Our grandfathers had to run, run, run. My generation’s out of breath. We ain’t running no more.”
2. “It is a call for Black people in this country to unite, to recognize their heritage, to build a sense of community. It is a call for Black people to define their own goals, to lead their own organizations.
3. This country is a nation of thieves. It stole everything it has, beginning with Black people. The U.S. cannot justify its existence as the policeman of the world any longer. I do not want to be a part of the American pie. The American pie means raping South Africa, beating Vietnam, beating South America, raping the Philippines, raping every country you’ve been in. I don’t want any of your blood money. I don’t want to be part of that system. We must question whether or not we want this country to continue being the wealthiest country in the world at the price of raping everybody else.
4. “An organization which claims to be working for the needs of a community – as SNCC does – must work to provide that community with a position of strength from which to make its voice heard. This is the significance of Black power beyond the slogan.”
5. “If an [Euro-American] man wants to lynch me, that’s his problem. If he’s got the power to lynch me, that’s my problem. Racism is not a question of attitude; it’s a question of power.”
6. “The secret of life is to have no fear; it’s the only way to function.”
7. “Now, then, in order to understand [European] supremacy, we must dismiss the fallacious notion that [European] people can give anybody their freedom.”
8. “Go home and tell your daughters they are beautiful.”
9. “The job of a revolutionary is, of course, to overthrow unjust systems and replace them with just systems because a revolutionary understands this can only be done by the masses of the people. So, the task of the revolutionary is to organize the masses of the people, given the conditions of the Africans around the world who are disorganized, consequently, all my efforts are going to organizing people.”
10. “We were aware of the fact that death walks hand in hand with struggle.”
Acknowledgement note: The featured image of Kwame Ture was created with AI assistance (ChatGPT / OpenAI), under Meserette Kentake’s direction. This image is a visual tribute, depicting him with a messianic presence, honouring his recognition as a potential “Black Messiah.”
