Great Quotes from American History

Here are some interesting quotes on important topics from key characters in American history, curated by the Papergy review team.

Ancestors

I don't know who my grandfather was; I am much more concerned to know what his grandson will be. Abraham Lincoln

Authority

Since when have we Americans been expected to bow submissively to authority and speak with awe and reverence to those who represent us? William O. Douglas

Civil disobedience

Under a government which imprisons any unjustly, the true place for a just man is also a prison. Henry David Thoreau

Courage

Do one thing every day that scares you. Eleanor Roosevelt

Cuban Missile Crisis

Do you, Ambassador Zorin, deny that the USSR has placed and is placing medium - and intermediate - range missiles and sites in Cuba? Yes or no? Don't wait for the translation. Yes or no? You are in the courtroom of world opinion. You have denied they exist, and I want to know if I understood you correctly. I am prepared to wait for my answer until hell freezes over. And I am also prepared to present the evidence in this room! Adlai Stevenson

Equal opportunity

Sitting at the table doesn't make you a diner, unless you eat some of what's on that plate. Being here in America doesn't make you an American. Being born here in America doesn't make you an American. Malcolm X

Freedom

All free men, wherever they may live, are citizens of Berlin, and therefore, as a free man, I take pride in the words, Ich bin ein Berliner. John F. Kennedy

Is life so dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death! Patrick Henry

No man is good enough to govern another man without his consent.

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No man is good enough to govern any woman without her consent. Susan B. Anthony

Freedom from fear

So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself -- nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance. Franklin D. Roosevelt

Freedom of speech

I think the most un-American thing you can say is, 'You can't say that. Garrison Keillor

Free speech is not to be regulated like diseased cattle and impure butter. The audience that hissed yesterday may applaud today, even for the same performance. William O. Douglas

Gender equity

I do not believe that women are better than men. We have not wrecked railroads, nor corrupted legislatures, nor done many unholy things that men have done; but then we must remember that we have not had the chance. Jane Addams

Happiness

The Constitution only guarantees the American people the right to pursue happiness. You have to catch it yourself. Benjamin Franklin

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Inspirational words on discrimination and hardship from famous women in history

Throughout history, women have been working hard to ensure that the female voice is heard. These quotes curated by the Papergy review team demonstrate how women have gone the extra mile to gain equality and advocate for a better world.

“Tremendous amounts of talent are being lost to our society just because that talent wears a skirt.” – Shirley Chisholm, first African-American woman elected to U.S. Congress

“A girl should not expect special privileges because of her sex but neither should she adjust to prejudice and discrimination.” – Betty Friedan, writer and activist credited with sparking 20th-century wave of feminism

“I raise up my voice—not so I can shout but so that those without a voice can be heard… We cannot succeed when half of us are held back.” – Malala Yousafzai, Pakistani activist for female education and the youngest Nobel Prize laureate

“At the end of the day, we can endure much more than we think we can.” – Frida Kahlo, 20th-century Mexican painter

“I really think a champion is defined not by their wins but by how they can recover when they fall.” – Serena Williams

“Always aim high, work hard, and care deeply about what you believe in. And, when you stumble, keep faith. And, when you're knocked down, get right back up and never listen to anyone who says you can't or shouldn't go on.” – Hillary Clinton

“Have no fear of perfection; you'll never reach it.” – Marie Curie, chemist who was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize.

“Think like a queen. A queen if not afraid to fail. Failure is another stepping stone to greatness.” – Oprah Winfrey, media mogul and North America's first black multi-billionaire

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