Home / Quotes / Quote by Wangari Maathai

Quote by Wangari Maathai

“When you know who you are you are free.”

Quote by Wangari Maathai

Author

Wangari Maathai

Wangari Maathai was a Kenyan political activist and environmentalist who became the first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize. Born on April 1, 1940, and passing away on September 25, 2011, Maathai founded the Green Belt Movement, a grassroots organization dedicated to environmental conservation and women's rights. more

You May Also Like

“We may encounter many defeats, but we must not be defeated. It may even be necessary to encounter the defeat, so that we can know who we are.”

Knows May Defeat Encounters Who We Are Defeated

Author:Maya Angelou

“I did get knocked down flat in front of the whole world, and I rose. I didn't run away - I rose right where I'd been knocked down. And then that's how you get to know yourself. You say, hmm, I can get up!”

Knows World I Can Whole Running Fronts Down And Rose Whole World Get Up Flats Running Away Know Yourself Knocked Down Hmm

Author:Maya Angelou

“I have enough of life in me to make somebody jealous enough to want to knock me down. I have so much courage in me that I have the effrontery, the incredible gall to stand up. That's it. That's how you get to know who you are.”

Knows Want Enough Who You Are Incredibles Jealous

Author:Maya Angelou

“You have to deal with what you encounter. But you must not be reduced. And so a way not to be reduced is don't whine! Don't let the incidents which take place in life bring you low.”

Way Deals Lows Encounters Incidents Place In Life

Author:Maya Angelou

“My people couldn't have survived slavery without having hope that it would get better. And there's some songs from the 19th and 18th century that say [sings], "By and by, by and by, I will lay down, this heavy load." And I mean, so many songs that spoke of hope and understand it better by and by. Amazing songs. So that the slaves, just knowing that he, she, did not have the right legally to walk within one inch away from where the slave owner dictated, and yet the same person, wrote and sang with fervor, "If the lord wants somebody, here am I, send me." It's amazing.”

“There's something beautiful about the fact that Obama was not just elected, but elected decisively across racial, and socio-economic and cultural groups and that we all celebrated in his win.”

Facts Beautiful Winning Groups Economic Something Beautiful

Author:Maya Angelou

“We are growing up. We are growing up! Out of the idiocies - the ignorances of racism and sexism and ageism and all those ignorances.”

Growing Up Growing Ignorance Racism Sexism Idiocy Ageism

Author:Maya Angelou

“The root cause of all the problems we have in the world today is ignorance of course. But most, polarization.”

World Problem Today Courses Causes Ignorance Roots World Today Polarization Root Cause

Author:Maya Angelou

“If you have a person enslaved, the first thing you must do is to convince yourself that the person is subhuman. And won't mind the enslavement. The second thing you must do is convince your allies that the person is subhuman so that you have some support. But the third and the unkindest cut of all is to convince that person that he, she, is not quite a first class citizen.”

Ifs Mind Firsts Persons Class Support Cutting Citizens Thirds Convince Allies First Class Enslavement

Author:Maya Angelou

“We can see, from California to New York, from Maine to Florida, Seattle to New Mexico - everywhere there are women's groups. Everywhere there are women who have gotten together to examine global warming, and women who have gotten together to prepare each other for single parenting - there are women who have come together to be supportive to those whose mates are in prison, male or female, partners are in prison. All sorts of gatherings of women. I mean, I'm just celebrating my 80th year on this planet, and I look back 50 years ago and there was nothing like that.”