Shelby Steele Quotes

There is not a right too long denied to which we do not aspire in order to achieve; there is not a wrong too long endured that we are not determined to abolish.

At times, we were forced to go through a history of dependence, unable to determine our own destiny. But today, we are at the threshold of a new turning point.

We gain freedom when we have paid the full price.

If we wish to free ourselves from enslavement, we must choose freedom and the responsibility this entails.

So long as you do not achieve social liberty, whatever freedom is provided by the law is of no avail to you.

If you are living in a free society then use the freedom. What good is freedom if you do not use it.

Freedom without opportunity is a devil’s gift.

Real freedom means opportunity and well-being. If it does not mean that, it means nothing.

Don’t play with us. If you’re not going to give us justice, let us go so that we may help ourselves….We can’t want for benevolent white people to give us handouts.

I ask no favors for my sex. I surrender not our claim to equality. All I ask of our brethren is, that they will take their feet from off our necks, and permit us to stand upright on that ground which God designed us to occupy.

People don't realize what's really going on in this country. There are a lot things that are going on that are unjust. People aren't being held accountable for. And that's something that needs to change. That's something that this country stands for: freedom, liberty and justice for all.

We'll continue to hold America to the standard it says on paper that we're all created equal because it's not that way right now. But we're going to keep pushing towards that.

Visibility doesn't always equal freedom.

Salvation for a race, nation or class must come from within. Freedom is never granted; it is won. Justice is never given; it is exacted.

Freedom is never given; it is won.

Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle. And so we must straighten our backs and work for our freedom. A man can't ride you unless your back is bent.

As long as you keep a person down, some part of you has to be down there to hold him down, so it means you cannot soar as you otherwise might.

I grew up with injustice and could do nothing about it. But once in America, I had freedom of choice.

A woman without a man is like a fish without a bicycle.

After feminism, I suddenly realised: not everyone has to live the same way. Imagine that!

There's not an American in this country free until every one of us is free.

What makes revolutionary thought unique is its clarity and dignity, and its clear grasp of freedom and justice: simple, clear words that are understood without the need for any help from elite writers or thinkers.

Speaking out is important for me because everyone should be treated equally.

If you scratch below the surface and ask what really makes me tick, it's the liberalism of trying to promote freedom and opportunity. Promoting social mobility is one of the keys to that.

Education is freedom.