Booker T. Washington: “Make up your mind that you are going to conquer them.”

The picture of several dozen boys and girls in a schoolroom engaged in study made a deep impression upon me, and I had the feeling that to get into a schoolhouse and study in this way would be about the same as getting into paradise.

I pity from the bottom of my heart any nation or body of people that is so unfortunate as to get entangled in the net of slavery.

Despite this disappointment, however, I determined that I would learn something, anyway.

I have great faith in the power and influence of facts.