Maya Angelou

You have to have courage to love somebody. Because you risk everything. Everything.

Maya Angelou

You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated.

Maya Angelou

You think you may not be heard. Speak anyway.

Maya Angelou

A bird doesn’t sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song.

Maya Angelou

A bizarre sensation pervades a relationship of pretense. No truth seems true.

Maya Angelou

A black person grows up in this country – and in many places – knowing that racism will be as familiar as salt to the tongue. Also, it can be as dangerous as too much salt. I think that you must struggle for betterment for yourself and for everyone.

Maya Angelou

A caged bird stands on the grave of dreams his shadow shouts on a nightmare scream his wings are clipped and his feet are tied so he opens his throat to sing.

Maya Angelou

A cynical young person is almost the saddest sight to see, because it means that he or she has gone from knowing nothing to believing nothing.

Maya Angelou

A leader sees greatness in other people. He nor she can be much of a leader if all she sees in herself.

Maya Angelou

A rose by any other name may smell as sweet, but a woman called by a devaluing name will only be weakened by the misnomer.

Maya Angelou