"Not long ago, an English writer telephoned me from London, asking questions. One was "What's your alma mater?" I told him, "Books." You will never catch me with a free fifteen minutes in which I'm not studying something I feel might be able to help the black man."

Do not say, "when I have leisure I will study," for you may never have leisure.

Do not say "When I have leisure, I will study", perhaps you will not have leisure.

There is no expedient to which a man will not resort to avoid the real labor of thinking.

There is no expedient to which a man will not resort to avoid the real labor of thinking.

There is no expedient to which a man will not go to avoid the real labor of thinking.

Use the first moments in study. You may miss many an opportunity for quick victory this way, but the moments of study are insurance of success. Take your time and be sure.

Once a man has seen society's black underbelly, he can never turn his back on it. Never pretend, like you do, that it doesn't exist.

If I could not be persuaded into doing what I thought wrong, I will never be tricked into it.

No man who is resolved to make the most of himself can spare time for personal contention.

No man is free who is not master of himself.

No person is free who is not master of himself.

If you cannot afford to waste time, you will never find the truth.

Study then, but study first that which will most help you to help others. Work patiently at your studies, not that men may think you wise, not even that you may have the happiness of being wise, but because only the wise man can be wisely helpful.