Considered one of the most prolific speakers of all time, Malcolm X will forever be known for his courage and dedication to the civil rights movement. He rallied the African American community but encouraged everyone to work together towards a united nation. Among other messages, he regularly emphasized the importance of education, entrepreneurship and encouraged Black communities to stand up for themselves in the face of racism.
In honor of Malcolm X Day, typically celebrated on the third Friday in May, we've rounded up some of our favorite Malcolm X quotes that reflect his bravery, leadership and call for community engagement. These thought-provoking quotes from his speeches will inspire you to take action against inequality everywhere.
“Any time you beg another man to set you free, you will never be free. Freedom is something that you have to do for yourselves.”
“Education is our passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs only to the people who prepare for it today.”
“I have no mercy or compassion in me for a society that will crush people, and then penalize them for not being able to stand up under the weight."
“I’m for truth, no matter who tells it. I’m for justice, no matter who it is for or against. I’m a human being first and foremost, and as such I’m for whoever and whatever benefits humanity as a whole.”
“You're not to be so blind with patriotism that you can't face reality. Wrong is wrong, no matter who does it or says it.”
“I am not a racist in any form whatsoever. I don't believe in any form of racism. I don't believe in any form of discrimination or segregation. I believe in Islam. I am a Muslim. And there's nothing wrong with being a Muslim, nothing wrong with the religion of Islam.”
“We declare our right on this earth to be a man, to be a human being, to be respected as a human being, to be given the rights of a human being in this society, on this earth, in this day, which we intend to bring into existence by any means necessary.”
“We intend to use the tools of education to help raise our people to an unprecedented level of excellence and self-respect through their own efforts.”
“We believe that our communities must be the sources of their own strength politically, economically, intellectually, and culturally in the struggle for human rights and human dignity.”
“Our community must reinforce its moral responsibility to rid itself of the effects of years of exploitation, neglect, and apathy, and wage an unrelenting struggle against police brutality.”
“We must set a good example for our children and must teach them to always be ready to accept the responsibilities that are necessary for building good communities and nations. We must teach them that their greatest responsibilities are to themselves, to their families and to their communities.”
“Armed with the knowledge of our past, we can with confidence charter a course for our future. Culture is an indispensable weapon in the freedom struggle.”
“You’ve got to get some power before you can be yourself.”
“Freedom is essential to life itself. Freedom is essential to the development of the human being. If we don’t have freedom we can never expect justice and equality.”
“We want to get behind leaders who will fight for us...leaders who are not afraid to demand freedom, justice, and equality.”
“All of our people have the same goals, the same objective: freedom, justice, equality. All of us want recognition and respect as human beings.”
“A new world order is in the making, and it is up to us to prepare ourselves that we may take our rightful place in it.”
“A man who stands for nothing will fall for anything.”
“This shows you that most of our people don’t involve themselves in politics at all. And if they did become involved and had a say-so in their destiny, everything would be a great deal different.”
“People don't realize how a man's whole life can be changed by one book.”
“Read absolutely everything you get your hands on because you'll never know where you'll get an idea from.”
Jamie Ballard (she/her) is a freelance writer and editor who covers news, lifestyle, and entertainment topics, including sex and relationships, TV, movies, books, health, pets, food and drinks, pop culture, shopping, and personal finance. She regularly contributes to Cosmopolitan, Woman’s Day, Good Housekeeping, and YouGov, among other publications. When she’s not working, you can find her running, traveling, or scrolling TikTok. Follow her on Twitter.
