“My dear, when people show you who they are, why don't you believe them? Why must you be shown 29 times before you can see who they really are? Why can't you get it the first time?”

—  Maya Angelou

As quoted by Oprah Winfrey.
Oprah Winfrey's paraphrase:
When people show you who they are, believe them.
Source: [When people show you who they are, believe them, http://www.oprah.com/oprahs-lifeclass/when-people-show-you-who-they-are-believe-them-video, 2016-01-19, Oprah's Lifeclass, Oprah, Winfrey, Oprah Winfrey Network, 2011-10-26, 1, 13, 90, en-us, Oprah Winfrey]
Source: [Book club finale, http://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/One-of-Dr-Maya-Angelous-Most-Important-Lessons_1, 2016-01-19, The Oprah Winfrey Show, Oprah, Winfrey, 1997-06-18, 45, en-us, Oprah Winfrey]

Adopted from Wikiquote. Last update June 3, 2021. History

Help us to complete the source, original and additional information

Do you have more details about the quote "My dear, when people show you who they are, why don't you believe them? Why must you be shown 29 times before you can s…" by Maya Angelou?
Maya Angelou photo
Maya Angelou 247
American author and poet 1928–2014

Related quotes

Maya Angelou photo
Tony Blair photo

“What amazes me is how many people are happy for Saddam to stay. They ask why we don't get rid of Mugabe, why not the Burmese lot. Yes, let's get rid of them all. I don't because I can't, but when you can you should.”

Tony Blair (1953) former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

Michael Ignatieff, "Why Are We In Iraq? (And Liberia? And Afghanistan?)", New York Times, 5 September, 2003.
2000s

Joe Dante photo
Will Rogers photo

“When you meet people, no matter what opinion you might have formed about them beforehand, why, after you meet them and see their angle and their personality, why, you can see a lot of good in all of them.”

Will Rogers (1879–1935) American humorist and entertainer

On Leon Trotsky Saturday Evening Post (6 November 1926) - note that Rogers specifically spelled the word "dident"
Context: I bet you if I had met him and had a chat with him, I would have found him a very interesting and human fellow, for I never yet met a man that I dident like. When you meet people, no matter what opinion you might have formed about them beforehand, why, after you meet them and see their angle and their personality, why, you can see a lot of good in all of them.

Tyra Banks photo
Karel Čapek photo

“Why are there stars when there are no people? O God, why don't you just extinguish them?”

Karel Čapek (1890–1938) Czech writer

Cool my brow, ancient night! Divine and fair as you always were — O night, what purpose do you serve? There are no lovers, no dreams. O nursemaid, dead as a sleep without dreams, you no longer hallow anyone's prayers. O mother of us all, you don't bless a single heart smitten with love. There is no love.
R.U.R. (1920)

Rick Warren photo
Mr. T photo
Stephen Chbosky photo

Related topics