Frances Ellen Watkins Harper Quotes

Slaves are bound by their love of justice to RISE AT ONCE, en masse, and THROW OFF THEIR FETTERS

It is a momentous thing to be the instrument, under Providence, of the liberation of a race.

I should have done violence to my convictions of duty, had I not made use of all the lawful means in my power to liberate those people, and assist them to become men and women, rather than leave them in the condition of chattels personal.

There is not a man among them who would not leave if they believed they could make their escape … Liberty is sweet.

Mahatma Gandhi went from Africa to India, and once India won its freedom, it helped African countries to get their independence.

Guys in slavery sang praises to the Lord to deliver them from bondage.

When Nelson Mandela walked free, the world sang with joy. Ever since, South Africa has stood as a beacon of hope for Africa.

American Negroes understand, far better than Soviet propagandists, that in the American system lies the hope for all submerged people who have the ability and determination to rise to the full status of free men.

Let twelve good black men get armed for battle and they will kill and put to flight fifty whites.... Kill or be killed. Had you rather not be killed than be a slave to a tyrant who takes the life of your wife and children? It is no more harm to kill a man who is trying to kill you than to take a drink of water when you are thirsty.

The existence of laws in the States where the newly emancipated negroes reside, which discriminated with gross injustice and hardship against them as a class, was the evil to be remedied …. The one pervading purpose, was protection of the newly-made freeman and citizen from the oppression of those who had formerly exercised unlimited dominion over him.

In the disposition of these unfortunate people, there are two rational objects to be distinctly kept in view. First. The establishment of a colony on the coast of Africa, which may introduce among the aborigines the arts of cultivated life, and the blessings of civilization and science. By doing this, we may make to them some retribution for the long course of injuries we have been committing on their population.

I have the right to determine who shall be my mate without the permission of any man. I am not a slave.

If you love your children, if you love your country, if you love the God of love, clear your lands from slaves, burden not your children or country with them.

The work does not end with the abolition of slavery but only begins.

Freedom—When?

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.

Tell my people to go West—there is no justice for them here.

Is Justice to be established by subjecting half of mankind to the will of the other half? Justice, Sir, is blind to colors, and weighs in equal scales the rights of all men whether white or black…. An opportunity is now presented, if not to diminish, at least to prevent the growth of a sin that sits heavy on the soul of every one of us.

There is nobody on this planet who was ever liberated by an athlete or an entertainer.

O black boy of Atlanta! But half was spoken; The slave's chains and the master's Alike are broken; The one curse of the races Held both in tether; They are rising--all are rising-- The black and white together.

Since the Exodus, Freedom has always spoken with a Hebrew accent.

Judge — thee hasn't left me a dollar, but I wish to say to thee, and to all in this court room, that if anyone knows of a fugitive who wants a shelter, and a friend, send him to Thomas Garrett, and he will befriend him!

I had crossed the line of which I had so long been dreaming. I was free; but there was no one to welcome me to the land of freedom, I was a stranger in a strange land, and my home after all was down in the old cabin quarter, with the old folks, and my brothers and sisters. But to this solemn resolution I came; I was free, and they should be free also; I would make a home for them in the North, and the Lord helping me, I would bring them all there.

Self Emancipation

...on every sin which a colored man commits, the just white man must make a considerable discount, because of the colored man's antecedents. The heirs of slavery cannot with any sort of justice, be required to be as clear and straight and upright as the heirs of ancient freedom. And besides, whenever a colored man commits an unright action, upon his head is the guilt of only about one tenth of it, and upon your heads and mine and the rest of the white race lies fairly and justly the other nine tenths of the guilt.