Carter G. Woodson Quotes

Doing for people what they can and ought to do for themselves is a dangerous experiment.

If you let other people do it for you, they will do it to you.

Liberty is not merely a privilege to be conferred; it is a habit to be acquired.

You cannot help people permanently by doing for them what they can and should do for themselves.

Freedom is a muscle... you have to exercise it.

Before, Indian people had been so defeated, they were always looking for outsiders, for the government, to somehow come in and fix things. But now, they seem to realize that they're the only ones who can save themselves.

Carefully avoid all undertakings which depends on others; but let him eagerly pursue that which depends on himself.

Tell the people not to depend on me anymore.

Don't ask f'r rights. Take thim. An' don't let anny wan give thim to ye. A right that is handed to ye fer nawthin has somethin the matter with it.

I have always told my daughters not to be dependent on anyone in any capacity.

Today I will not wait for someone to come to my aid. I'm not helpless. Although help may come, I'm my own rescuer. My relationships will dramatically improve when I stop rescuing others and stop expecting others to rescue me.

Liberty is its own reward.

No one can stop you from doing exactly what you want to do. If you can accept that the cavalry won't come, and if you can be the cavalry, it gives you a chance to be happy.

Never neglect what you can do for yourself in the form of another.

One can't indefinitely do for somebody what he is reluctant to do for himself.

Work out your own salvation. Do not depend on others.

Mama was a country woman with a whole lot of common sense. She understood what most of our neighbors didn't - that I shouldn't grow dependent on anyone except myself. 'One of these days, I ain't gonna be here,' she kept hammering inside my head.

Whether or not we establish freedom rests with ourselves.

I don't need government to be successful.

If someone else isn't making it happen for you, make it happen yourself.

The idea that somebody else is going to swoop down and play the fairy godmother role is pretty unlikely, so why not take care of yourself?

Government is to point you in the right direction, and not to do everything for you.

Take your life in your own hands, and what happens? A terrible thing: no one to blame.

Men must necessarily be the active agents of their own well-being and well-doing they themselves must in the very nature of things be their own best helpers.

If I am to truly become an autonomous woman, then I must take over that role of being my own guardian.