Maya Angelou

There’s a world of difference between truth and facts. Facts can obscure truth.

Children’s talent to endure stems from their ignorance of alternatives.

The fact that the adult American Negro female emerges a formidable character is often met with amazement, distaste and even belligerance. It is seldom accepted as an inevitable outcome of the struggle won by survivors, and deserves respect if not enthusiastic acceptance.

How important it is for us to recognize and celebrate our heroes and she-roes!

My life has been one great big joke, a dance that’s walked a song that’s spoke, I laugh so hard I almost choke when I think about myself.

Hate has caused a lot of problems in this world, but it has not solved one yet.

The intellectual man requires a fine bait; the sots are easily amused. But everybody is drugged with his own frenzy, and the pageant marches at all hours, with music and banner and badge.

Discern of the coming on of years, and think not to do the same things still; for age will not be defied.

Do something every day that you don’t want to do. This is the golden rule for acquiring the habit of doing your duty without pain.

Courage is rightly considered the foremost of the virtues, for upon it, all others depend.

Drag your thoughts away from your troubles… by the ears, by the heels, or any other way you can manage it.

Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood.

Pleasure that is obtained by unreasonable and unsuitable cost, must always end in pain.

An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile – hoping it will eat him last.

Broken, like a mosaic, I am pieced together. I am still a piece of art, though I may not be fully appreciated by all, the ones that see the beauty, are the ones who have the understanding; gained through experience, that to break, doesn’t mean to give up.

Philosophy when superficially studied, excites doubt, when thoroughly explored, it dispels it.

Whenever, therefore, people are deceived and form opinions wide of the truth, it is clear that the error has slid into their minds through the medium of certain resemblances to that truth.

Our best thoughts come from others.

The Jews generally give value. They make you pay; but they deliver the goods. In my experience the men who want something for nothing are invariably Christians.

Winners never quit and quitters never win.

We bust build dikes of courage to hold back the flood of fear.