25 Marcus Garvey Quotes Celebrating Knowledge of Self

Our latest collection of inspirational Marcus Garvey quotes on Everyday Power blog.

Marcus Mosiah Garvey Jr. was a charismatic black leader whose message of pride and dignity inspired many in the early days of the Civil Rights Movement.

His organization, the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA),
represents the largest mass movement in African-American history.

He also established the Negro Factories Corporation and the Black Star Line to encourage black economic independence.

Born on August 17, 1887, in St. Ann’s Bay, Jamaica, Garvey gained a love for reading from his father at an early age.

He attended school in Jamaica until he was 14, before becoming a printer’s apprentice where he led a strike for higher wages.

Garvey was responsible for putting forward ideas that helped to advance the political consciousness of blacks worldwide.

He died on 10 June 1940, in London.

In 1964, his remains were taken to Jamaica where he was declared the country’s first national hero.

In honor of an icon of universal black pride and affirmation, below is our collection of powerful and inspirational Marcus Garvey quotes, collected from a variety of sources over the years.

Check out our most popular quote article, a list of short inspirational quotes for daily inspiration.

Our inspirational quotes category page has all of our motivational quotes for all the different areas of life.

Marcus Garvey quotes celebrating knowledge of self

1. ”If you have no confidence in self, you are twice defeated in the race of life.” – Marcus Garvey

2. ”Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery, none but ourselves can free our minds.” – Marcus Garvey

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3. ”There is no force like success, and that is why the individual makes all effort to surround himself throughout life with the evidence of it; as of the individual, so should it be of the nation.” – Marcus Garvey

4. ”Liberate the minds of men and ultimately you will liberate the bodies of men.” – Marcus Garvey

5. ”Progress is the attraction that moves humanity.” – Marcus Garvey

6. ”The ends you serve that are selfish will take you no further than yourself but the ends you serve that are for all, in common, will take you into eternity.” – Marcus Garvey

7. ”You at this time can only be destroyed by yourselves, from within and not from without. You have reached the point where the victory is to be won from within and can only be lost from within.” – Marcus Garvey

8. ”Men, there is much to live for, and there is much to die for. The man, the race of nation that is not prepared to risk life itself for the possession of an ideal, shall lose that ideal. If you, I repeat, must be free, you yourselves must strike the blow.” – Marcus Garvey

9. ”Whipped. It annoys me to be defeated; hence to me, to be once defeated is to find cause for an everlasting struggle to reach the top.” – Marcus Garvey

10. ”We must give up the silly idea of folding our hands and waiting on God to do everything for us. If God had intended for that, then he would not have given us a mind. Whatever you want in life, you must make up your mind to do it for yourself.” – Marcus Garvey

Powerful and inspirational Marcus Garvey quotes

11. ”Never forget that intelligence rules the world and ignorance carries the burden. Therefore, remove yourself as far as possible from ignorance and seek as far as possible to be intelligent.” – Marcus Garvey

12. ”Always try to associate with people from whom you can learn something. All the knowledge that you want is in the world, and all you have to do is go and seek it.”- Marcus Garvey

13. ”A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots.” –  Marcus Garvey

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14. ”The Black skin is not a badge of shame, but rather a glorious symbol of national greatness.” – Marcus Garvey

15. ”Ambition is the desire to go forward and improve one’s condition. It is a burning flame that lights up the life of the individual and makes him see himself in another state. To be ambitious is to be great in mind and soul. To want that which is worthwhile and strive for it. To go on without looking back, reaching to that which gives satisfaction.” – Marcus Garvey

16. ”Take advantage of every opportunity; where there is none, make it for yourself.” – Marcus Garvey

17. ”Lift up yourselves, men, take yourselves out of the mire and hitch your hopes to the very stars themselves. Let no man pull you down, let no man destroy your ambition, because man is but your companion, your equal; man is your brother; he is not your Lord, he is not your sovereign master.” – Marcus Garvey

18. “God does not give people positions or jobs or good conditions such as they desire; they must do that for themselves. God does not build cities nor towns nor nations, nor homes, nor factories; men and people do that and all those who want must work for themselves and pray to God to give them strength to do it.” –  Marcus Garvey

19. ”I trust that you will so live today as to realize that you are masters of your own destiny, masters of your fate; if there is anything you want in this world, it is for you to strike out with confidence and faith in self and reach for it.” – Marcus Garvey

20. ”The man who is not able to develop and use his mind is bound to be the slave of the other man who uses his mind.” – Marcus Garvey

Marcus Garvey quotes and sayings

21. “There can be no peace among men and nations, so long as the strong continues to oppress the weak, so long as injustice is done to other peoples, just so long we will have cause for war, and make a lasting peace an impossibility.” – Marcus Garvey

22. “Hungry men have no respect for law, authority or human life.” – Marcus Garvey

23. “To see your enemy and know him is a part of the complete education of man.” – Marcus Garvey

24. “At no time within the last five-hundred years can one point to a single instance of the Negro as a race of haters.” – Marcus Garvey

25. “You must not mistake lip-service and noise for bravery and service.” –Marcus Garvey

Which of these Marcus Garvey quotes is your favorite?

Garvey is regarded as the leader of the largest organized mass movement in black history.

He was an inspirational figure who helped break the psychological liberation from the bondage of racial inferiority.

Though he is long gone, Garvey’s memory and influence remain.

Hopefully, the above quotes have inspired you to have confidence in yourself.

Did you enjoy these Marcus Garvey quotes?

Which of the quotes was your favorite?

Let us know in the comment section below.