“The mark of a great man is one who knows when to set aside the important things in order to accomplish the vital ones.”

“It behooves every man to remember that the work of the critic is of altogether secondary importance, and that in the end, progress is accomplished by the man who does things.”

“I don't believe in one-person productions. Everyone on the team is important and needs to know that he or she is vital.”

“For, a man is the one who is judged by his accomplishments and not by appearances alone.”

“It's amazing what one can accomplish when one doesn't know what one can't do.”

“The real struggle has been since Africans first set foot on the continent, an affirmation of the value of one’s self. And I think if, in order to participate in American society, in order to accomplish some of the things which the black middle class has accomplished, if you have had to give up that self in order to accomplish that, then you are not making an affirmation of the value of the African being. You are saying that in order to do that I must become someone else, I must become like someone else…”

“A. A violent order is disorder; and
B. A great disorder is an order. These
Two things are one.”

“Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all.”

“They knew a tremendous number of things — But was it worthwhile knowing all these things if they did not know the one important thing, the only important thing?”

“I am proud of what I have accomplished, especially while serving as chief justice, at the time I joined the court, it was marked by acrimony. When I became chief justice, we proved that good people who may differ in their opinions can come together and accomplish important things for the people we serve – and we do it amicably.”