Be proud of your roots that reign! Feel moved to the core with the best quotes by black historical leaders from metro Detroit. It’s a way to honor the voices that have shaped Detroit’s past and molded it into the unbreakable legacy it carries today. January was a time to take the year head on with the remembrance of Detroit’s highly honored Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on MLK Day. February carries the torch through the tail-end of winter to remind us of who we are. Not to mention, who we can become!
Diversity, inclusion, and unification is important now more than ever with human rights being major topics of concern among recent political administration news. Community will always come together stronger in the face of despair.
Rosa Parks, Malcom X, MLK, and several others led with the power of persuasive words and deliberate actions to make history. Join your sisters and brothers in celebration that has the power to lift everyone.
Detroitisit rounded up a list of quotes by black historical leaders from metro Detroit, primarily focusing on historical figures directly connected to the city of Detroit. Let this be the mouthpiece for your daily motivation all month and year.
Check out the Black Leaders Detroit website HERE to strengthen your own abilities to lead and unify your community!
ROSA PARKS
This list of some of the best quotes by black historical leaders from metro Detroit to celebrate Black History Month can sometimes just include one word! Rosa Parks boarded a bus in Montgomery, Alabama when the bus driver called her “the N word” and was demanded to move to the back. By standing by her word & staying put, she sparked a 301-day boycott of the Montgomery bus system by Black citizens. This courageous move had a ripple effect on the civil rights reform for Alabama and the nation. Today, there’s a major street in Detroit.
“People always say that I didn’t give up my seat because I was tired, but that isn’t true. I was not tired physically… No, the only tired I was, was tired of giving in.”— Rosa Parks, Civil Rights activist
REVEREND DR. WENDELL ANTHONY
This list of quotes by black historical leaders from metro Detroit include icons that were living legends up until the end! Lewis was the youngest and last survivor of the big six Civil Rights Activists. An accomplished man, he lead 600 protestors in the ‘Bloody Sunday March’ across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma.
“If you see something that is not right, not fair, not just, you have a moral obligation to do something about it.”— John Lewis, Detroit NAACP President, civil rights leader and influential Congressman
REVEREND DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.
This list of life-changing quotes by black leaders in metro Detroit includes several moments of bravery from the Freedom March and the speeches surrounding this monumental Civil Rights movement. No list of quotes of black leaders is complete without the eloquent yet strong, visionary words of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
“I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. This is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant.”— Martin Luther King Jr.-Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech, Oslo, Norway, 1964
“Knowledge of history isn’t a luxury, but a necessity.”— Dr. Charles H. Wright
“I believe in human beings, and that all human beings should be respected as such, regardless of their color.”—Malcom X
“The most disrespected person in America is the Black woman. The most unprotected person in America is the Black woman. The most neglected person in America is the Black woman.”—Malcolm X
COLEMAN A. YOUNG
“Those of us who are passing off the scene, like Nelson Mandela, like me, like Martin, who is already gone, we’re passing on to you who are coming on the scene, the torch. You should be thrilled with the opportunity that you have to complete the revolution.”— Coleman Young, the outspoken Former Member of the Michigan Senate. He was also the first African-American mayor of Detroit who served from 1974-1994.
HELEN THOMAS
This inspirational list of black historical leaders from metro Detroit includes civil rights leaders as well as those who made a lasting mark on the White House leadership. Take a look at the life of trailblazer, Helen Thomas. Originally born in Kentucky to immigrants from what is now Lebanon, Helen grew up in Detroit and had her heart set on authentic journalism. She was a longtime White House reporter who made her unapologetic viewpoints & values well-known to the public.
“We don’t go into journalism to be popular. It is our job to seek the truth and put constant pressure on our leaders until we get answers.”— Helen Thomas, a remarkable woman journalist and dean of the White House Press Corps
RUTH ELLIS
https://detroitisit.com/25-perfect-womens-history-month-quotes-a-detroitisit-2024-celebration/
This list of the best quotes from Black leaders from metro Detroit to honor & celebrate during Black History Month includes the bravado of black women leaders in Detroit. Ruth Ellis, an African-American entrepreneur and LGBTQ activist since being openly lesbian at a time when it was not widely accepted to be out. Ruth Ellis was born in Springfield, Illinois in 1899. Ellis’ lifespan includes living through the Springfield Riot of 1908 and the Detroit Riots of 1967. She founded the Ruth Ellis Center, founded in 1999. Her efforts continue to provide shelter and aid for LGBTQ youth in Detroit. She has greatly impacted African Americans and senior citizens in her overall accomplishments.
“The only way we can get any place is by being together…and to be honest and caring. Try to love people. Have a happy life if you can in this crazy world.” — Ruth Ellis
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