Nina Simone, born Eunice Kathleen Waymon, was an icon of American music. Known as the ‘High Priestess of Soul’ because of her seductive and hypnotic voice, Simone sang songs of love, protest, and black empowerment across a broad range of musical styles including classical, jazz, blues, folk, R&B, gospel, and pop. She was also a talented musician and civil rights activist. Her music spanned a broad range of musical styles including classical, jazz, blues, folk, R&B, gospel, and pop.
Here are Ten Soulful Quotes by the High Priestess:
“To me, we are the most beautiful creatures in the whole world. Black people. And I mean that in every sense, outside and inside. And to me, we have a culture that is surpassed by no other civilization…”
“There’s no excuse for the young people not knowing who the heroes and heroines are or were.”
“I’ve never changed. I’ve never changed my hair. I’ve never changed my color, I have always been proud of myself, and my fans are proud of me for remaining the way I’ve always been.”
“Slavery has never been abolished from America’s way of thinking.”
“You’ve got to learn to leave the table
When love’s no longer being served.”
“It is an artist’s duty to reflect the times.”
“I think women play a major part in opening the doors for better understanding around the world.”
“I tell you what freedom is to me: no fear.”
“This is the world you have made yourself, now you have to live in it.”
“Jazz is not just music, it’s a way of life, it’s a way of being, a way of thinking.”
Acknowledgement: Image concept and text prompt developed by Meserette Kentake (Tylis) and generated with ChatGPT (Perplexity, powered by GPT‑5.1). The image depicts Nina Simone as the “High Priestess of Soul,” based on an original photographic reference.
