50 Angela Davis Quotes That Ignite Change

Angela Davis is a prominent political activist, academic, and author who has dedicated her life to fighting for justice, equality, and civil rights. Her powerful words have inspired generations of activists and advocates for social change. Here are inspiring and thought-provoking quotes by Angela Davis on justice, freedom, and resistance.

The Legacy of Angela Davis

Angela Davis’s work and words have shaped the way many think about justice, freedom, and social movements. Here’s why her quotes resonate with so many:

• Inspiration: Davis's quotes encourage us to fight for equality and justice.
• Wisdom: Her words reflect a deep understanding of the struggles for freedom and human rights.
• Empowerment: She empowers individuals to take action and challenge systems of oppression.

Powerful Angela Davis Quotes

Quotes on Justice and Equality

1. "I am no longer accepting the things I cannot change. I am changing the things I cannot accept."
2. "Justice is indivisible; you can’t decide who gets civil rights and who doesn’t."
3. "We have to talk about liberating minds as well as liberating society."
4. "The idea of freedom is inspiring. But what does it mean? If you are free in a political sense but are economically enslaved, are you really free?"
5. "I have always tried to emphasize that it is important to understand the connection between struggles around racism and struggles around economic justice."

Quotes on Freedom and Liberation

6. "Freedom is a constant struggle."
7. "You have to act as if it were possible to radically transform the world. And you have to do it all the time."
8. "I’m no longer accepting the things I cannot change... I’m changing the things I cannot accept."
9. "True freedom requires a collective effort, where all forms of oppression are eradicated."
10. "I think we have to envision a world that is radically different from the one we are living in now."

Quotes on Resistance and Activism

11. "Revolution is a serious thing, the most serious thing about a revolutionary’s life. When one commits oneself to the struggle, it must be for a lifetime."
12. "The struggle for freedom is a labor of love."
13. "I have a hard time accepting diversity as a synonym for justice. Diversity is a corporate strategy."
14. "I think that anyone who has ever tried to live knows that one’s identity is composed of more than just what happens to one."
15. "Sometimes we have to do the work even though we don’t yet see a glimmer on the horizon that it’s actually going to be possible."

Quotes on Racism and Injustice

16. "In a racist society, it is not enough to be non-racist—we must be anti-racist."
17. "Racism cannot be separated from capitalism."
18. "We live in a society of an imposed forgetfulness, a society that depends on public amnesia."
19. "The prison industrial complex relies on racialized assumptions of criminality."
20. "When Black women win victories, it is a boost for virtually every segment of society."

Quotes on Feminism and Intersectionality

21. "Feminism involves so much more than gender equality. It is about transforming the entire fabric of society."
22. "We have to talk about liberating minds as well as liberating society."
23. "I think the importance of doing activist work is precisely because it allows you to give back and to consider yourself not as a single individual who may have achieved whatever, but to be a part of an ongoing historical movement."
24. "The importance of doing activist work is precisely because it allows you to give back."
25. "It is essential to resist the depiction of history as the work of heroic individuals."

Quotes on Education and Critical Thinking

26. "Radical simply means ‘grasping things at the root.’"
27. "We must always attempt to lift as we climb."
28. "I believe profoundly in the importance of creating the future, and that’s why I consider myself an activist."
29. "I think it's really important to be able to have the freedom to express yourself in whatever way you choose."
30. "Progressive art can assist people to learn not only about the objective forces at work in the society in which they live but also about the intensity of their interior lives."

Quotes on Collective Struggle

31. "Walls turned sideways are bridges."
32. "Revolution is a serious thing, the most serious thing about a revolutionary’s life."
33. "When you see someone who has been harmed by racism, that’s not the time to say, ‘What can I do?’ It’s the time to say, ‘I’m going to change things.’"
34. "It’s important to encourage people to realize that they can make a significant difference in the world."
35. "We have to engage in a collective struggle, because individual victories do not equal freedom."

Quotes on Prisons and the Prison Industrial Complex

36. "Jails and prisons are designed to break human beings, to convert the population into specimens in a zoo—obedient to our keepers, but dangerous to each other."
37. "The prison industrial complex is a set of symbiotic relationships among corporations, the media, and the state."
38. "Prisons do not disappear problems, they disappear human beings."
39. "The prison system as we know it exists as an institution to marginalize certain groups of people and keep them oppressed."
40. "Imprisonment is the response that our government takes for social issues instead of addressing the root cause."

Quotes on Change and Hope

41. "If they come for me in the morning, they will come for you in the night."
42. "We know the road to freedom has always been stalked by death."
43. "It is in collectivities that we find reservoirs of hope and optimism."
44. "We are never assured of justice without struggle."
45. "I am inspired by the fact that we can take radical measures to solve the problems in our society."

Quotes on Social Movements

46. "We must begin to build a political movement that addresses the needs of people of color, of working people, of poor people."
47. "Revolution is not a one-time event."
48. "When you take the risk to speak out, to challenge the status quo, you inspire others to do the same."
49. "We should try to understand that what we need is not a few heroes, but a movement."
50. "We have to talk about liberating minds as well as liberating society."

Conclusion

Angela Davis’s words are a powerful reminder of the ongoing struggle for justice, equality, and freedom. These quotes inspire us to fight for change, stand against oppression, and envision a better world. Share your favorite Angela Davis quote with someone who might need motivation, and reflect on how her wisdom can guide your own journey toward justice and activism.

If these quotes resonated with you, share them with friends and family, and let us know your favorite Angela Davis quote in the comments below. Embrace the wisdom in these quotes and let them inspire your commitment to creating a better world for all.