It was hard to be away from home, but I am glad that I am home now.

Be careful, think about the effect of what you say. Your words should be constructive, bring people together, not pull them apart.

The conqueror writes history, they came, they conquered and they write. You don't expect the people who came to invade us to tell the truth about us.

Girls are the future mothers of our society, and it is important that we focus on their well-being.

I kept my culture. I kept the music of my roots. Through my music I became this voice and image of Africa and the people without even realising.

Age is getting to know all the ways the world turns, so that if you cannot turn the world the way you want, you can at least get out of the way so you won't get run over.

There are three things I was born with in this world, and there are three things I will have until the day I die-hope, determination, and song.

Africa has her mysteries, and even a wise man cannot understand them. But a wise man respects them

I see other black women imitate my style, which is no style at all, but just letting our hair be itself. They call it the Afro Look.

I do not sing politics. I merely sing the truth.

If given a choice, I would have certainly selected to be what I am: one of the oppressed instead of one of the oppressors.

He didn't want to get his hopes up, but he also refused to be a pessimist about this moment. Everything could go either way.

True respectability stems not from the will of the majority but from proper reasoning.

I should not proceed by land to the East, as is customary, but by a Westerly route, in which direction we have hitherto no certain evidence that any one has gone.

I'm a human being. I'm not a piece of property. I'm not a consignment of goods.

Being a Christian is more like falling in love than understanding a series of ideas.

I shall lie folded like a saint, Lapped in a scented linen sheet, On a bedstead striped with bright-blue paint, Narrow and cold and neat.

Isn't everyone hiding something?

The terrible beast, that no one may understand, Came to my side, and put down his head in love.

Believe that the loose ball that you are chasing has your name wirtten on it.

I'm right here. This is who I really am. I'm not pretending.