Home » Quotes Guru » 100+ Inspiring Quotes by Booker T. Washington

100+ Inspiring Quotes by Booker T. Washington

quotes by booker t washington

Booker T. Washington's timeless wisdom resonates through his quotes, offering profound insights into industry, character, education, patience, and equality. This article delves into ten themed sections, each highlighting twelve of Washington's inspirational quotes. Through his words, we explore his perspectives on perseverance, self-reliance, education, unity, empowerment, purpose, and success. Washington's quotes challenge us to strive for self-improvement and work harmoniously for a better society. His emphasis on character and initiative, alongside the importance of practical education, remains ever relevant, encouraging individuals to elevate not only themselves but their communities as well. Join us as we unravel the thoughts of this visionary leader and learn to apply his enduring lessons in our own lives.

Quotes on Perseverance

  • "Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome."
  • "The thing to do is to get a thorough education. Perhaps you will not at once see the results, but as sure as a living God you will find it in the end."
  • "I have learned that success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome while trying to succeed."
  • "The circumstances that surround a man’s life are not important. How that man responds to those circumstances is the determining factor where there is success or failure."
  • "Character, not circumstances, makes the man."
  • "Remember there is more to be gained by being patient with those who have wronged you, than by flying into a rage and seeking revenge."
  • "Excellence is to do a common thing in an uncommon way."
  • "No man, who continues to add something to the material, intellectual, and moral well-being of the place in which he lives, is left long without proper reward."
  • "I have begun everything with the idea that I could succeed, and I never had much patience with the multitudes of people who are always ready to explain why one cannot succeed."
  • "To hold a man down, you have to stay down with him."
  • "There is no power on earth that can neutralize the influence of a high, simple, and useful life."
  • "Wherever you find one idle person, you will find another hundred accompanying him."
  • Quotes on Education

  • "Education is not given for the purpose of earning a living; it is given to make a life."
  • "Few things help an individual more than to place responsibility upon him, and to let him know that you trust him."
  • "If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else."
  • "Success is to be measured not by the position one has achieved but by the obstacles one has overcome."
  • "The world cares very little about what a man or woman knows; it is what a man or woman is able to do that counts."
  • "The happiest people are those who do the most for others."
  • "There are two ways of exerting one's strength: one is pushing down, the other is pulling up."
  • "The greatest teacher I ever had was my own industry. And when I say industry, I mean drudgery."
  • "We don’t always get what we want when we want it. But, if the truth be known, it is always in God’s time that we get what we deserve."
  • "Few things can help an individual more than to place responsibility on him, and to let him know that you trust him."
  • "No race can prosper till it learns that there is as much dignity in tilling a field as in writing a poem."
  • "The world does not know that a line was drawn between liberty, and slavery, between civilization and savagery, between Christian and pagan."
  • Quotes on Unity

  • "In all things that are purely social we can be as separate as the fingers, yet one as the hand in all things essential to mutual progress."
  • "No man who continues to add something to the material, intellectual, and moral well-being of the place in which he lives is left long without proper reward."
  • "You can’t hold a man down without staying down with him."
  • "If you wish to be strong you must stand by one another."
  • "There is a physical and moral connection with all men, and you cannot afflict one without afflicting the other."
  • "The world cares little about what a man or woman knows; it is what a man or woman is able to do that counts."
  • "Character, not circumstances, make the man."
  • "If those who differ with us would hear our message, they would find that they differ less than they believe."
  • "The world must be made safe for democracy."
  • "If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else."
  • "The surest way to lose your self-respect is to do the things that lower the self-respect of others."
  • "There are two ways of exerting one’s strength: one is pushing down, the other is pulling up."
  • Quotes on Empowerment

  • "Nothing ever comes to one that is worth having, except as a result of hard work."
  • "If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else."
  • "Excellence is to do a common thing in an uncommon way."
  • "You measure the size of the accomplishment by the obstacles you had to overcome to reach your goals."
  • "Character, not circumstances, makes the man."
  • "There is no power on earth that can neutralize the influence of a high, simple, and useful life."
  • "The happiest people are those who do the most for others."
  • "No race can prosper till it learns that there is as much dignity in tilling a field as in writing a poem."
  • "There are two ways of exerting one's strength: one is pushing down, the other is pulling up."
  • "The thing to do is to get a thorough education, perhaps you will not at once see the results, but as sure as a living God you will find it in the end."
  • "Success is to be measured not by the position one has achieved but by the obstacles one has overcome."
  • "I have begun everything with the idea that I could succeed, and I never had much patience with the multitudes of people who are always ready to explain why one cannot succeed."
  • Quotes on Character

  • "Character is power."
  • "The world cares very little about what a man or woman knows; it is what a man or woman is able to do that counts."
  • "Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome."
  • "You can't hold a man down without staying down with him."
  • "I have begun everything with the idea that I could succeed, and I never had much patience with the multitudes of people who are always ready to explain why one cannot succeed."
  • "Character, not circumstances, makes the man."
  • "Nothing ever comes to one, that is worth having, except as a result of hard work."
  • "The thing to do is to get a thorough education, perhaps you will not at once see the results, but as sure as a living God you will find it in the end."
  • "No race can prosper till it learns that there is as much dignity in tilling a field as in writing a poem."
  • "Excellence is to do a common thing in an uncommon way."
  • "The happiest people are those who do the most for others."
  • "No man, who continues to add something to the material, intellectual, and moral well-being of the place in which he lives, is left long without proper reward."
  • Quotes on Industry

  • "Nothing ever comes to one, that is worth having, except as a result of hard work."
  • "The thing to do is to get a thorough education, perhaps you will not at once see the results, but as sure as a living God you will find it in the end."
  • "No race can prosper till it learns that there is as much dignity in tilling a field as in writing a poem."
  • "Excellence is to do a common thing in an uncommon way."
  • "The happiest people are those who do the most for others."
  • "There are two ways of exerting one's strength: one is pushing down, the other is pulling up."
  • "No man, who continues to add something to the material, intellectual, and moral well-being of the place in which he lives, is left long without proper reward."
  • "I have begun everything with the idea that I could succeed, and I never had much patience with the multitudes of people who are always ready to explain why one cannot succeed."
  • "The world cares very little about what a man or woman knows; it is what a man or woman is able to do that counts."
  • "Remember there is more to be gained by being patient with those who have wronged you, than by flying into a rage and seeking revenge."
  • "Character, not circumstances, makes the man."
  • "There is no power on earth that can neutralize the influence of a high, simple, and useful life."
  • Quotes on Self-Reliance

  • "If you believe you can pick yourself up, you will."
  • "To hold a man down, you have to stay down with him."
  • "The world must be made safe for democracy."
  • "Excellence is to do a common thing in an uncommon way."
  • "The circumstances that surround a man’s life are not important. How that man responds to those circumstances is the determining factor where there is success or failure."
  • "Success is to be measured not by the position one has achieved but by the obstacles one has overcome."
  • "The world cares very little about what a man or woman knows; it is what a man or woman is able to do that counts."
  • "Character, not circumstances, makes the man."
  • "The happiest people are those who do the most for others."
  • "I have learned that success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome while trying to succeed."
  • "The thing to do is to get a thorough education, perhaps you will not at once see the results, but as sure as a living God you will find it in the end."
  • "Character is power."
  • Quotes on Purpose

  • "Success is to be measured not by the position one has achieved but by the obstacles one has overcome."
  • "There is no power on earth that can neutralize the influence of a high, simple, and useful life."
  • "If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else."
  • "Character, not circumstances, makes the man."
  • "Few things can help an individual more than to place responsibility on him, and to let him know that you trust him."
  • "The happiest people are those who do the most for others."
  • "There are two ways of exerting one's strength: one is pushing down, the other is pulling up."
  • "The thing to do is to get a thorough education, perhaps you will not at once see the results, but as sure as a living God you will find it in the end."
  • "No man, who continues to add something to the material, intellectual, and moral well-being of the place in which he lives, is left long without proper reward."
  • "The world cares very little about what a man or woman knows; it is what a man or woman is able to do that counts."
  • "Nothing ever comes to one, that is worth having, except as a result of hard work."
  • "In all things that are purely social we can be as separate as the fingers, yet one as the hand in all things essential to mutual progress."
  • Quotes on Equality

  • "In all things that are purely social we can be as separate as the fingers, yet one as the hand in all things essential to mutual progress."
  • "The circumstances that surround a man’s life are not important. How that man responds to those circumstances is the determining factor where there is success or failure."
  • "No man, who continues to add something to the material, intellectual, and moral well-being of the place in which he lives, is left long without proper reward."
  • "Excellence is to do a common thing in an uncommon way."
  • "No race can prosper till it learns that there is as much dignity in tilling a field as in writing a poem."
  • "There are two ways of exerting one's strength: one is pushing down, the other is pulling up."
  • "Nothing ever comes to one, that is worth having, except as a result of hard work."
  • "The world does not know that a line was drawn between liberty, and slavery, between civilization and savagery, between Christian and pagan."
  • "There is no power on earth that can neutralize the influence of a high, simple, and useful life."
  • "The world cares very little about what a man or woman knows; it is what a man or woman is able to do that counts."
  • "Character, not circumstances, makes the man."
  • "The happiest people are those who do the most for others."
  • Quotes on Success

  • "The thing to do is to get a thorough education, perhaps you will not at once see the results, but as sure as a living God you will find it in the end."
  • "Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome."
  • "Nothing ever comes to one, that is worth having, except as a result of hard work."
  • "You can't hold a man down without staying down with him."
  • "The circumstances that surround a man’s life are not important. How that man responds to those circumstances is the determining factor where there is success or failure."
  • "Character is power."
  • "I have begun everything with the idea that I could succeed, and I never had much patience with the multitudes of people who are always ready to explain why one cannot succeed."
  • "No race can prosper till it learns that there is as much dignity in tilling a field as in writing a poem."
  • "The happiest people are those who do the most for others."
  • "There are two ways of exerting one's strength: one is pushing down, the other is pulling up."
  • "The world cares very little about what a man or woman knows; it is what a man or woman is able to do that counts."
  • "Character, not circumstances, makes the man."
  • Final Words

    Booker T. Washington's quotes resonate with timeless wisdom and offer profound life lessons across various spheres such as perseverance, education, and equality. Through his focus on self-reliance, character, and industry, Washington's insights point toward the transformative power of determination and hard work in overcoming life's hurdles. His emphasis on uplifting others and striving for common excellence demonstrates how individual success intertwines with societal progress. Washington’s philosophy serves as a beacon, inspiring us to harness our strengths not only for personal gain but for the betterment of the community. As we incorporate these empowering quotes into our lives, we learn that true success and fulfilling purpose arise not only from our achievements but from our ability and will to lift others along the journey. Washington's legacy continues to inspire countless individuals and remains a guiding light for those who aspire to make the world more just, equitable, and united. Let his words encourage us to strive consistently for excellence, maintain integrity, and work collaboratively toward a future where every individual has the opportunity to succeed.

    Explore over 100 impactful quotes by Booker T. Washington, highlighting his wisdom and influence. Ideal for those seeking motivation and insight from one of history's great educators and leaders.

    About The Author