50 Inspiring Quotes From Famous Black Women to Celebrate Black History Month

“It was when I realized I needed to stop trying to be somebody else and be myself, I actually started to own, accept and love what I had.”

"Don't settle for average. Bring your best to the moment. Then, whether it fails or succeeds, at least you know you gave all you had. We need to live the best that's in us."

"What I know for sure is that speaking your truth is the most powerful tool we all have."

"If you prioritize yourself, you are going to save yourself."

“It is so liberating to really know what I want, what truly makes me happy, what I will not tolerate. I have learned that it is no one else's job to take care of me but me."

"My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style."

"I thrive on obstacles. If I'm told that it can't be told, then I push harder."

"I have standards I don't plan on lowering for anybody … including myself."

"I always believed that when you follow your heart or your gut, when you really follow the things that feel great to you, you can never lose, because settling is the worst feeling in the world."

"Embrace what makes you unique, even if it makes others uncomfortable. I didn't have to become perfect because I've learned throughout my journey that perfection is the enemy of greatness."

"You may not always have a comfortable life and you will not always be able to solve all of the world's problems at once, but don't ever underestimate the importance you can have because history has shown us that courage can be contagious and hope can take on a life of its own."

"When you take care of yourself, you're a better person for others. When you feel good about yourself, you treat others better."

"Ideally, I want to see all beauties, all shapes, all sizes, all skin tones, all backgrounds represented in my profession. Now that I am blessed to be that reflection I was once looking for, I'm making a promise to speak out for that little girl that I used to be. I might not have the power to change what media puts out there, or to single-handedly convince young girls like me that they should love themselves. But what I can do is start with me: living each day, embracing who I am."

"You wanna know what scares people? Success. When you don't make moves and when you don't climb up the ladder, everybody loves you because you're not competition."

"There have been so many people who have said to me, 'You can't do that,' but I've had an innate belief that they were wrong. Be unwavering and relentless in your approach."

"Girls of all kinds can be beautiful — from the thin, plus-sized, short, very tall, ebony to porcelain-skinned; the quirky, clumsy, shy, outgoing, and all in between. It's not easy though because many people still put beauty into a confining, narrow box … Think outside of the box … Pledge that you will look in the mirror and find the unique beauty in you."

"I'd rather regret the risks that didn't work out than the chances I didn't take at all."

"When you put love out in the world, it travels, and it can touch people and reach people in ways that we never even expected."

"There's so many things that life is, and no matter how many breakthroughs, trials will exist and we're going to get through it. Just be strong."

"It's important for young people to know that they are made the way they are made and they're beautiful and that's how they're supposed to be."

"Don't let anyone steal ya joy! There's always someone miserable trying to bring you down … you just wish them well & proceed on enjoying your life."

"I realized that beauty was not a thing that I could acquire or consume, it was something I just had to be."

"Women make up more than half of the world's population and potential. So it is neither just nor practical for their voices, for our voices, to go unheard at the highest levels of decision-making."

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"I realized that I don't have to be perfect. All I have to do is show up and enjoy the messy, imperfect, and beautiful journey of my life."

"Everything is worth it. The hard work, the times when you're tired, the times where you're a bit sad, in the end, it's all worth it because it really makes me happy. There's nothing better than loving what you do."

"I don't know everything. I know a fraction of what there is to know and I don't think I will ever know everything, but it's important to me to constantly challenge myself, to understanding different viewpoints, really understanding nuance in topics, so I can feel qualified in what I say, so I'm not preaching falsely of what I'm unaware of."

"Yes, I do have a big ego … and I am in love with myself … Because if you don't love yourself how can anybody love you back?"

"You can't be hesitant about who you are." 

"Beauty is not just a white girl. It's so many different flavors and shades."

"I don't harp on the negative because if you do, then there's no progression. There's no forward movement. You got to always look on the bright side of things, and we are in control. Like, you have control over the choices you make."

"I decided long ago never to walk in anyone's shadow; if I fail, if I succeed, at least I'll live as I believe."

"I'm not ashamed of what I am and that I have curves and that I'm thick. I like my body."

"When I'm tired, I rest. I say, 'I can't be a superwoman today.'"

"I truly believe that if you put your goals in writing, speak them out loud, and work for them, they will happen."

"In complete darkness, we are all the same; it is only our knowledge and wisdom that separates us. Don't let your eyes deceive you."

"Am I bossy? Absolutely. I don't like to lose, and if I'm told 'no,' then I find another way to get my 'yes.' But I'm a loyal person."

"Sometimes you've got to let everything go — purge yourself. If you are unhappy with anything … whatever is bringing you down, get rid of it. Because you'll find that when you're free, your true creativity, your true self comes out."

"I have learned over the years that when one's mind is made up, this diminishes fear; knowing what must be done does away with fear."

"A great figure or physique is nice, but it's self-confidence that makes someone really sexy."

"You can't just sit there and wait for people to give you that golden dream. You've got to get out there and make it happen for yourself."

"We need to be more supportive with everything. With body images, especially with women, showing that all sizes are beautiful. And I'm talking about in magazines, advertisements in regard to what's sexy and what's not sexy. We all need to be a little more supportive of each other."

"Just be honest and true to yourself. If your friends around you love you, they'll wish you the best and want only what's going to make you happy."

"Jealous people are insecure. The more you like and respect yourself, the less likely you are to be envious." 

"I think that in any family — Black, white, Chinese, Spanish, whatever — family is family. You know that there's dysfunction, and that there's this cousin who doesn't like this auntie. But, at the end of the day, like I say, love brings everybody together."

"Dreams are lovely. But they are just dreams. Fleeting, ephemeral, pretty. But dreams do not come true just because you dream them. It's hard work that makes things happen. It's hard work that creates change."

"What you know today can affect what you do tomorrow. But what you know today cannot affect what you did yesterday."

"Sometimes, I feel discriminated against, but it does not make me angry. It merely astonishes me. How can any deny themselves the pleasure of my company? It's beyond me."

"Speak up for yourself and what you believe in. You can still be an elegant woman and be strong and powerful."

"You wanna fly, you got to give up the s— that weighs you down."

"Hate is too great a burden to bear. It injures the hater more than it injures the hated."