Malcolm X Quotes: 20 Famous Phrases From Speeches, Interviews On 50th Anniversary Of Civil Rights Icon's Assassination

On Saturday, the 50th anniversary of his death, the world will remember civil rights activist Malcolm X. Before his assassination on Feb. 21, 1965, the influential orator gave several famous speeches that brought thousands of followers to the Nation of Islam, a group of African-American Muslims who backed segregation and revolution. In his lifelong fight against racism, Malcolm X spread dozens of memorable phrases people still reference today.

Here are 20 of his most well-known quotes, courtesy of malcolm-x.org and Wikiquote:

1. "We declare our right on this earth...to be a human being, to be respected as a human being, to be given the rights of a human being in this society, on this earth, in this day, which we intend to bring into existence by any means necessary."
2. "Without education, you're not going anywhere in this world."
3. "Power in defense of freedom is greater than power in behalf of tyranny and oppression."
4. "Early in life I had learned that if you want something, you had better make some noise."
5. "You don't have to be a man to fight for freedom. All you have to do is to be an intelligent human being."
6. "Usually when people are sad, they don't do anything. They just cry over their condition. But when they get angry, they bring about a change."
7. "A new world order is in the making, and it is up to us to prepare ourselves that we may take our rightful place in it."
8. "I believe in human rights for everyone, and none of us is qualified to judge each other and that none of us should therefore have that authority."
9. "I am neither a fanatic nor a dreamer. I am a black man who loves peace, and justice, and loves his people."
10. "If we don't stand for something, we may fall for anything."
11. "Anytime you see someone more successful than you are, they are doing something you aren't."
12. "History is a people's memory, and without a memory, man is demoted to the lower animals."
13. "We cannot think of uniting with others, until after we have first united among ourselves. We cannot think of being acceptable to others until we have first proven acceptable to ourselves."
14. "It takes heart to be a guerrilla warrior because you’re on your own. In conventional warfare you have tanks and a whole lot of other people with you to back you up—planes over your head and all that kind of stuff. But a guerrilla is on his own. All you have is a rifle, some sneakers and a bowl of rice, and that’s all you need — and a lot of heart."
15. "I've had enough of someone else's propaganda. I'm for truth, no matter who tells it. I'm for justice, no matter who it's for or against. I'm a human being first and foremost, and as such I am for whoever and whatever benefits humanity as a whole."
16. "People don't realize how a man's whole life can be changed by one book."
17. "How can anyone be against love?"
18. "Wrong is wrong, no matter who does it or says it."
19. "Time is on the side of the oppressed today, it's against the oppressor. Truth is on the side of the oppressed today, it's against the oppressor. You don't need anything else."
20. "You can't separate peace from freedom because no one can be at peace unless he has his freedom."