Malcolm X Quotes

Revolutions are not made with rosewater.

The revolution is a torrent which sweeps aside those who resist it.

Revolutions are not easy.

A revolution is not a dinner party, or writing an essay, or painting a picture, or doing embroidery. It cannot be so refined, so leisurely and gentle, so temperate, kind, courteous, restrained and magnanimous. A revolution is an insurrection, an act of violence by which one class overthrows another.

A revolution is bloody. Revolution is hostile. Revolution knows no compromise. Revolution overturns and destroys everything that gets in its way. And you, sitting around here like a knot on the wall, saying, “I’m going to love these folks no matter how much they hate me.” No, you need a revolution. Whoever heard of a revolution where they lock arms, as Reverend Cleage was pointing out beautifully, singing “We Shall Overcome”? Just tell me. You don’t do that in a revolution. You don’t do any singing; you’re too busy swinging.

Real change is always violent, but it may hurt a lot less than what's in place before the violence occurs.

In a revolution one wins or dies, if it is a real one

I don't care who gets in my way... I'm just gonna come right though and riot.

Revolution, the substitution of one social system for another, has always been a struggle, a painful and a cruel struggle, a life and death struggle.

Do you think that revolutions are made with rose water?

The revolution can only defend itself by attacking.

Violence never has and never will bring constructive change, but my life experience tells me that most change is violent.

A revolution is generally only evolution--an explosive sequence of events crowded into a short space of time, but leaving more of the ancient regime untouched than usually is at first apparent.

Violence is the only language understood by Mr. Lloyd George and his ministers.

Violence is a holy and historically progressive force.

I was set to confront the might of the imperial empire with an M-1 carbine and enough hate to topple the world.

It is not necessary to wait until all conditions for making revolution exist; the insurrection can create them.

Revolutions are never waged singing "We Shall Overcome." Revolutions are based upon bloodshed.

Revolution requires extensive and widespread destruction, a fecund and renovating destruction, since in this way and only this way are new worlds born

Tomorrow the revolution will already 'raise itself with a rattle' and announce with fanfare, to your terror: I was, I am, I will be!

Every revolution destroys the average middle first and most savagely.

The literal meaning of the Chinese characters for revolution is elimination of life

Revolutions are effected in two ways, by force and by fraud.

I'm not for real revolutions, because they always bring you the opposite of what you want. You very seldom get what you want if you have a violent revolution.

True revolution comes from true revulsion; when things get bad enough the kitten will kill the lion.