My whole life has largely been one of surprises. I believe that any man's life will be filled with constant, unexpected encouragements of this kind if he makes up his mind to do his level best each day of his life - that is, tries to make each day reach as nearly as possible the high-water mark of pure, unselfish, useful living.

No man who continues to add something to the material, intellectual, and moral well-being of the place in which he lives is long left without proper reward.

There is another class of coloured people who make a business of keeping the troubles, the wrongs, and the hardships of the Negro race before the public. Havin…

No race can prosper till it learns that there is as much dignity in tilling a field as in writing a poem. It is at the bottom of life we must begin, and not at…

Above all, I believe in God. I believe, also, that I must live with myself, I must be able to face myself each morning and say: 'I did my best yesterday, I wil…

You must have no dependence on your own genius. If you have great talents, industry will improve them; if you have but moderate abilities, industry will supply…

'Keep reading books, stay in school. I encourage kids to read as much as they can; I challenge you to read a book every two weeks, like I try to.'