At the bottom of enmity between strangers lies indifference.

It’s good to remember that in crises, natural crises, human beings forget for a while their ignorances, their biases, their prejudices. For a little while, neighbors help neighbors and strangers help strangers.

By nature, men are nearly alike; by practice, they get to be wide apart.

When the missionaries first came to Africa they had the Bible and we had the land. They said, “Let us pray.” We closed our eyes. When we opened them, we had the Bible and they had the land.

Of troubles none is greater than to be robbed of one’s native land.

The misfortune of the man of color is having been enslaved. The misfortune and inhumanity of the white man are having killed man somewhere.

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

I want to be the white man’s brother, not his brother-in-law.

In settling an island, the first building erected by a Spaniard will be a church, by a Frenchman a fort, by a Dutchman a warehouse, and by an Englishman an alehouse.

No man has any natural authority over his fellow man.

Some of us would be greatly astonished to learn the reasons why others respect us.

Your worst enemy cannot harm you as much as your own thoughts, unguarded.

Patriotism is an ephemeral motive that scarcely ever outlasts the particular threat to society that aroused it.