Booker T. Washington

Every young man and every young woman should feel that he or she is here on trust, that every day here is a sacred day, that it is a day that belongs to the race.

We are here for the purpose of educating you, that you may become strong, intelligent and helpful.

Perhaps the most valuable thing that I got out of my second year was an understanding of the use and value of the Bible.

The people who kill and are killed, nine times out of ten, whether they are black or white, are people who do not own a home, who do not have money in the bank.

We have no right to keep a student here who we do not think is strong enough to go out and be of assistance to somebody else.

You pay but little; and by reason of that fact it follows that as trustees of the funds which are given to this institution, we have no right to keep an individual here who we do not think is going to be able to go out and help somebody…

This lesson I have tried to carry with me ever since.

On the other hand, the person who cultivates the habit of looking on the bright side of life, and who calls attention to the beautiful and encouraging things in life is, in nine cases out of ten, the strong individual, the one to whom the…

In nine cases out of ten, the person who cultivates the habit of looking on the dark side of life is the little person, the miserable person, the one who is weak in mind, heart and purpose.

It was hard for me to understand how any individuals could bring themselves to the point where they could be so happy in working for others.

In order to get hold of the spiritually best and highest things in life there are certain material things that we are compelled to have first.

Now when you go out into the world for yourselves, you must remember in the first place that you cannot hold yourselves up unless you keep engaged and out of idleness.