Looking for some powerful quotes from black women? We have rounded up the best collection of black women quotes, sayings, proverbs, captions for Instagram, messages, slogans, Status (with images and pictures) from authors, politicians, actresses, singers, activists, and more to inspire you to be empowered and successful.
These quotes can help uplift your spirits, no matter what color you are. These fabulous ladies are all talented, successful, and wonderful in different ways and it can be refreshing to get inspiration from such wise women.
These positive quotes are perfect to celebrate the Black History Month, which is an annual observance originating in the United States, where it is also known as African-American History Month.
We have divided this uplifting post in the following sections for all with some incredible advice for women.
These quotes are ranging from the topics of empowerment, love, life, success, self-worth, family, work, struggles, feminism, empowerment, and more.
“A strong black woman doesn’t let a tear stain her face.”
“A crown, if it hurts us, is not worth wearing.” – Pearl Bailey
“Women who wear black live colorful lives.” – Neiman Marcus
“Prayer begins where human capacity ends.” – Marian Anderson
“Life is short, and it’s up to you to make it sweet.” – Sadie Delany
“Each person must live their life as a model for others.” – Rosa Parks
“If you prioritize yourself, you are going to save yourself.” – Gabrielle Union
“Never be limited by other people’s limited imaginations.” – Dr. Mae Jemison
“The way to right wrongs is to turn the light of truth upon them.” – Ida B. Wells
“Do not desire to fit in. Desire to oblige yourselves to lead.” – Gwendolyn Brooks
“You must never be fearful about what you are doing when it is right.” – Rosa Parks
“The path to your success is not as fixed and inflexible as you think.” – Misty Copeland
“Your mind will always believe everything you tell it. Feed it hope. Feed it truth. Feed it love.”
“Your willingness to look at your darkness is what empowers you to change.” – Iyanla Vanzant
“Black men should be with black women. And they should love and honor them.” – Runoko Rashidi
“I’d rather regret the risks that didn’t work out than the chances I didn’t take at all.” – Simone Biles
“Don’t sit down and wait for the opportunities to come. Get up and make them.” – Madam C. J. Walker
“It’s time for you to move, realizing that the thing you are seeking is also seeking you.” – Iyanla Vanzant
“What I know for sure is that speaking your truth is the most powerful tool we all have.” ― Oprah Winfrey
“You are on the eve of a complete victory. You can’t go wrong. The world is behind you.” – Josephine Baker
“A great figure or physique is nice, but it’s self-confidence that makes someone really sexy.” ― Vivica A. Fox
“Hate is too great a burden to bear. It injures the hater more than it injures the hated.” ― Coretta Scott King
“I am no longer accepting the things I cannot change. I am changing the things I cannot accept.” ― Angela Davis
“The kind of beauty I want most is the hard-to-get kind that comes from within – strength, courage, dignity.” – Ruby Dee
“Feminism is a woman’s vehicle to human agency and fully fulfilling her chosen destiny without interruption.” – Fee Scott
“You’ve just got to follow your own path. You have to trust your heart and you have to listen to the warnings.” – Chaka Khan
“Don’t wait around for other people to be happy for you. Any Happiness you get you’ve got to make yourself.” – Alice Walker
“Trust yourself. Think for yourself. Act for yourself. Speak for yourself. Be yourself. Imitation is suicide.” – Marva Collins
“Life is not measured by the number of breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away.” – Maya Angelou
“Breathe. Let go. And remind yourself that this very moment is the only one you know you have for sure.” – Oprah Winfrey
“Be not discouraged black women of the world, but push forward, regardless of the lack of appreciation shown you.” – Amy Jacques-Garvey
“When you put love out in the world it travels, and it can touch people and reach people in ways that we never even expected.” – Laverne Cox
“What you know today can affect what you do tomorrow. But what you know today cannot affect what you did yesterday.” – Condoleezza Rice
“Never limit yourself because of others’ limited imagination; never limit others because of your own limited imagination.” — Dr. Mae Jemison
“As you become more clear about who you really are, you’ll be better able to decide what is best for you – The first time around.” – Oprah Winfrey
“There’s always something to suggest that you’ll never be who you wanted to be. Your choice is to take it or keep on moving.” – Phylicia Rashad
“You can’t just sit there and wait for people to give you that golden dream. You’ve got to get out there and make it happen for yourself.” – Diana Ross
“In complete darkness we are all the same; it is only our knowledge and wisdom that separates us. Don’t let your eyes deceive you.” – Janet Jackson
“You don’t make progress by standing on the sidelines, whimpering and complaining. You make progress by implementing ideas.” – Shirley Chisholm
“I am the essence of magic, its mysteriousness, its beauty and its ability to make things happen when people couldn’t see how!” – Jenaitre Farquharson
“There’s so many things that life is, and no matter how many breakthroughs, trials will exist and we’re going to get through it. Just be strong.” – Mary J. Blige
“It’s important for young people to know that they are made the way they are made and they’re beautiful and that’s how they’re supposed to be.” – Raven-Symone
“Don’t let anyone steal ya joy! There’s always someone miserable trying to bring you down… you just wish them well & proceed on enjoying your life.” – Missy Elliott
“Just be honest and true to yourself. If your friends around you love you, they’ll wish you the best and want only what’s going to make you happy.” – Meagan Good
“Do not live someone else’s life and someone else’s idea of what womanhood is. Womanhood is you. Womanhood is everything that’s inside of you.” – Viola Davis
“The voice of a Black woman should always be HERSELF… No edits – no erasure – no pressure – no expectations – no additions – no intruders.” – Malebo Sephodi
“Don’t ever underestimate the importance you can have because history has shown us that courage can be contagious and hope can take on a life of its own.” – Michele Obama
“I had to make my own living and my own opportunity. But I made it! Don’t sit down and wait for the opportunities to come. Get up and make them.” – Madam C.J. Walker
“It’s so clear that you have to cherish everyone. I think that’s what I get from these older black women, that every soul is to be cherished, that every flower Is to bloom.” – Alice Walker
“Don’t settle for average. Bring your best to the moment. Then, whether it fails or succeeds, at least you know you gave all you had. We need to live the best that’s in us.” – Angela Bassett
“I have chosen to no longer be apologetic for my femaleness and my femininity. And I want to be respected in all of my femaleness because I deserve to be.” ― Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
“Once we recognize what it is we are feeling, once we recognize we can feel deeply, love deeply, can feel joy, then we will demand that all parts of our lives produce that kind of joy.” – Audre Lorde
“A strong woman is the lifeline of her family. She carries within her power to endure pain and the courage to sacrifice. She has the power to create and nurture life. She is indeed the epitome of love and sacrifice.”
“To turn black women into objectified others was to underline their difference; they may be beautiful, but they are of another kind, separate from the dominant understanding of attractiveness.” – Anne Helen Petersen
“Dream like Martin. Lead like Harriet. Fight like Malcolm. Write like Maya. Speak like Frederick. Dare like Shirley. Think like Garvey. Reclaim like Maxine. Educate like W.E.B. Challenge like Rosa. Inspire like Obama.”
“Dreams are lovely. But they are just dreams. Fleeting, ephemeral, pretty. But dreams do not come true just because you dream them. It’s hard work that makes things happen. It’s hard work that creates change.” – Shonda Rhimes
“Sometimes you’ve got to let everything go — purge yourself. If you are unhappy with anything… whatever is bringing you down, get rid of it. Because you’ll find that when you’re free, your true creativity, your true self comes out.” – Tina Turner
“Sometimes it’s hard being a girl, and it’s hard being black. Being both is like carrying a double load, but you’re not supposed to complain about it. There are so many things you have to remember about how to be.” – Christina Hammonds Reed
“Being a part of this reemergence of a movement both pro-diversity and pro-woman is the best part of being a black girl. It’s more than, “I stand for this because I should.” I stand for this because this is part of who I am as a human being.” – Yara Shahidi
“I think that in any family — black, white, Chinese, Spanish, whatever — family is family. You know that there’s dysfunction, and that there’s this cousin who doesn’t like this auntie. But, at the end of the day, like I say, love brings everybody together.” – Lauren London
“We should always have three friends in our lives. One who walks ahead who we look up to and follow; One who walks beside us, who is with us every step of our journey; and then, One who we reach back for and bring along after we’ve cleared the way.” – Michelle Obama
“You will be wounded many times in your life. You’ll make mistakes. Some people will call them failures but I have learned that failure is really God’s way of saying, “Excuse me, you’re moving in the wrong direction.” It’s just an experience, just an experience.” – Oprah Winfrey
“We need to be more supportive with everything. With body images, especially with women, showing that all sizes are beautiful. And I’m talking about in magazines, advertisements in regard to what’s sexy and what’s not sexy. We all need to be a little more supportive of each other.” – Tia Mowry
“We believe in equality for all, and privileges for none. This is a belief that each American regardless of background has equal standing in the public forum, all of us. Because we believe this idea so firmly, we are an inclusive, rather than an exclusive party. Let everybody come.” – Barbara Jordan
“I think the internet forces you to be okay with your mistakes, and the things you’ve done in the past, especially when you’re in the media. Personally, that helps me to stop self-editing or being self-conscious, and instead realize that my previous mistakes have allowed me to grow.” – Amandla Stenberg
“Girls of all kinds can be beautiful — from the thin, plus-sized, short, very tall, ebony to porcelain-skinned; the quirky, clumsy, shy, outgoing, and all in between. It’s not easy though because many people still put beauty into a confining, narrow box … Think outside of the box … Pledge that you will look in the mirror and find the unique beauty in you.” – Tyra Banks
As you are shifting, you will begin to realize that you are not the same person you used to be. The things you used to tolerate have become intolerable. When you once remained quiet, you are now speaking your truth, Where you once battled and argued, you are now choosing to remain silent. You are beginning to understand the value of your voice and there are some situations that no longer deserve your time, energy, and focus.
“Black Girls… Don’t be afraid to use your voice. Your thoughts, opinions, and ideas are just as important as anybody else’s. When you speak, speak with boldness and purpose. Have courage, be confident, and always be true to yourself! Live your life fearlessly! Your voice has great power; don’t be afraid to utilize it when needed. You’re not an angry black woman; you’re a woman who has something important to say. Your voice matters and so do you.” – Stephanie Lahart
When women uplift women, irrespective of color, racisms, caste, there can be nothing more powerful than that. It empowers you, gives you confidence and makes you unstoppable.
These motivational success quotes by great black women will give you the strength you need to pursue your dreams, face your fears and be successful.
“I thrive on obstacles. If I’m told that it can’t be told, then I push harder.” – Issa Rae
“I have standards I don’t plan on lowering for anybody … including myself.” – Zendaya
“Surround yourself with only people who are going to lift you higher.” – Oprah Winfrey
“Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.” – Maya Angelou
“There’s so much creativity in brokenness. Brokeness will have you making it work.” – Issa Rae
“When black women win victories, it is a boost for virtually every segment of society.” – Angela Davis
“I truly believe that if you put your goals in writing, speak them out loud, and work for them, they will happen.” – Ciara
“Be passionate and move forward with gusto every single hour of every single day until you reach your goal.” – Ava DuVernay
“I decided long ago never to walk in anyone’s shadow; if I fail, if I succeed, at least I’ll live as I believe.” – Whitney Houston
“I’ve heard of nothing coming from nothing, but I’ve never heard of absolutely nothing coming from hard word.” – Uzo Aduba
“Am I bossy? Absolutely. I don’t like to lose, and if I’m told ‘no,’ then I find another way to get my ‘yes.’ But I’m a loyal person.” – Naomi Campbell
“Instead of looking at the past, I put myself ahead twenty years and try to look at what I need to do now in order to get there then.” – Diana Ross
“I have learned over the years that when one’s mind is made up, this diminishes fear; knowing what must be done does away with fear.” – Rosa Parks
“I’m convinced that we Black women possess a special indestructible strength that allows us to not only get down, but to get up, to get through, and to get over.” — Janet Jackson
“Don’t be average. Always bring your very best to every moment. Whether it fails or succeeds, at least you know without a doubt that you gave it all you had. That in itself is… Success.”
“You wanna know what scares people? Success. When you don’t make moves and when you don’t climb up the ladder, everybody loves you because you’re not competition.” – Nicki Minaj
“There have been so many people who have said to me, ‘You can’t do that,’ but I’ve had an innate belief that they were wrong. Be unwavering and relentless in your approach.” – Halle Berry
“I always believed that when you follow your heart or your gut, when you really follow the things that feel great to you, you can never lose, because settling is the worst feeling in the world.” – Rihanna
“The success of every woman should be the inspiration to another. We should raise each other up. Make sure you’re very courageous: be strong, be extremely kind, and above all be humble.” – Serena Williams
“Everything is worth it. The hard work, the times when you’re tired, the times where you’re a bit sad, in the end, it’s all worth it because it really makes me happy. There’s nothing better than loving what you do.” – Aaliyah
Most of the black women featured here have had their own set of struggles and hardships. But they know the importance of self love and self-acceptance and have worked really hard through their own journeys.
With all the willpower they came out as a happier person who is bold, successful and have come a long way to live a life of their dreams.
“I know my worth and I refuse to give out discounts!”
“You can’t be hesitant about who you are.” – Viola Davis
“Self-esteem means knowing you are the dream.” – Oprah Winfrey
“I was built this way for a reason, so I’m going to use it.” – Simone Biles
“She is clothed in strength and dignity & she laughs without fear of the future.”
“Even if it makes others uncomfortable, I will love who I am.” – Janelle Monáe
“When I’m tired, I rest. I say, ‘I can’t be a superwoman today.” – Jada Pinkett Smith
“You’ve got to learn to leave the table when love’s no longer being served.” – Nina Simone
“When you undervalue what you do, the world will undervalue who you are.” ― Oprah Winfrey
“Freeing yourself was one thing; claiming ownership of that freed self was another.” – Toni Morrison
“The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any.” – Alice Walker
“I’m not ashamed of what I am and that I have curves and that I’m thick. I like my body.” – Alicia Keys
“If we give our children sound self-love, they will be able to deal with whatever life puts before them.” – Bell Hooks
“Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.” – Audre Lorde
“There is no greater gift you can give or receive than to honor your calling. It’s why you were born.” – Oprah Winfrey
“Learn to be quiet enough to hear the genuine in yourself, so that you can hear it in others.” – Marian Wright Edelman
“Normalize black women loving themselves. Choosing themselves. Freeing themselves and healing themselves.”
“What keeps me going is that quest for just being able to be present and be myself. Not for people, but for me.” – Janet Mock
“I am black. Woman. Beautiful. Magic. Intelligent. Resilient. Love. Innovative. Powerful. Influential. Unapologetic.”
“Deal with yourself as an individual worthy of respect, and make everyone else deal with you the same way.” – Nikki Giovanni
“Jealous people are insecure. The more you like and respect yourself, the less likely you are to be envious.” – Wendy Williams
“I don’t have any time to stay up all night worrying about what someone who doesn’t love me has to say about me.” ― Viola Davis
“Yes, I do have a big ego … and I am in love with myself … Because if you don’t love yourself how can anybody love you back?” – Mel B
“You can always tell who the strong women are. They’re the ones you see building one another up instead of tearing each other down.”
“When you take care of yourself, you’re a better person for others. When you feel good about yourself, you treat others better.” – Solange Knowles
“Helped are those who are content to be themselves; they will never lack mystery in their lives and the joys of self-discovery will be constant.” ― Alice Walker
“It was when I realized I needed to stop trying to be somebody else and be myself, I actually started to own, accept and love what I had.” – Tracee Ellis Ross
“I realized that I don’t have to be perfect. All I have to do is show up and enjoy the messy, imperfect, and beautiful journey of my life.” – Kerry Washington
“One of the lessons that I grew up with was to always stay true to yourself and never let what somebody else says distract you from your goals.” – Michelle Obama
“It is so liberating to really know what I want, what truly makes me happy, what I will not tolerate. I have learned that it is no one else’s job to take care of me but me.” – Beyonce Knowles-Carter
“Embrace what makes you unique, even if it makes others uncomfortable. I didn’t have to become perfect because I’ve learned throughout my journey that perfection is the enemy of greatness.” – Janelle Monae
“I am a feminist, and what that means to me is much the same as the meaning of the fact that I am Black; it means that I must undertake to love myself and to respect myself as though my very life depends upon self-love and self-respect.” – June Jordan
“We have so much coming in as sisters, when is our interior life ever put at the forefront? We constantly want to give to other people … Too much of not caring for yourself is not a good thing. We’re bad at that as achievers. Self-care is a priority and we have to do it more.” – Ava DuVernay
“I need to see my own beauty and to continue to be reminded that I am enough, that I am worthy of love without effort, that I am beautiful, that the texture of my hair and that the shape of my curves, the size of my lips, the color of my skin, and the feelings that I have are all worthy and okay.” – Tracee Ellis Ross
If you are feeling down, unmotivated or are just looking for wise words of wisdom for self-assurance then we got you covered with some uplifting words by some of the greatest black women to encourage you bigtime.
We hope to inspire you to be strong and change the game by getting back to doing the great things you were created to do in life.
“Black Queen, most powerful in the game.”
“Design the life you want to live.” – Rachel Roy
“Always stay true to yourself.” – Michelle Obama
“If you get, give. If you learn, teach.” – Maya Angelou
“This black woman rocks on a phenomenal level!” – Stephanie Lahart
“I have come to understand and listen to the fear.” – Tracee Ellis Ross
“No person has the right to rain on your dreams.” – Marian Wright Edelman
“Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more.” – Oprah Winfrey
“I’m a Black woman. Empowered, powerful, and greatness.” – Stephanie Lahart
“You may kill me with your hatefulness, but still, like air, I’ll rise.” – Maya Angelou
“I love to see a young girl go out and grab the world by the lapels.” – Maya Angelou
“If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair.” – Shirley Chrisholm
“Until the color of your skin is the target, you will never understand.” – Angela Davis
“We have to talk about liberating minds as well as liberating society.” – Angela Davis
“No matter what accomplishments you make, somebody helped you.” – Althea Gibson
“Beauty is not just a white girl. It’s so many different flavors and shades.” – Queen Latifah
“Black skin was filled with so many barriers, so many restrictions, so many.” – Randi Pink
“America made us heroines not wives. We hid our ladyness to save our lives.” – Lucille Clifton
“No matter how far a person can go the horizon is still way beyond you.”— Zora Neale Hurston
“If you are silent about your pain, they’ll kill you and say you enjoyed it.” – Zora Neale Hurston
“The collective, orchestrated fury of Black women can move the whole world.” ― Brittney Cooper
“We need to do a better job of putting ourselves higher on our own ‘to do’ list.” – Michelle Obama
“I am a black woman who is strong at times but I am also human and deserve love and protection.”
“Women must become revolutionary. This cannot be evolution but revolution.” – Shirley Chrisholm
“I don’t have to go around trying to save everybody anymore; that’s not my job.” – Jada Pinkett Smith
“Surely, there’s strength in being dressed for a storm, even when there’s no storm in sight?” – Yaa Gyasi
“As a Black Woman, I define self-care as the ability to safely and comfortably exhale.” – Bethanee Epifani
“I don’t like to gamble, but if there’s one thing I’m willing to bet on, it’s myself.” – Beyonce Knowles Carter
“No matter where life takes me there will always be someone who’s threatened by it.” – Franchesca Ramsey
“Think like a queen. A queen is not afraid to fail. Failure is another steppingstone to greatness.” – Oprah Winfrey
“I didn’t learn to be quiet when I had an opinion. The reason they knew who I was is because I told them.” – Ursula Burns
“I realized that beauty was not a thing that I could acquire or consume, it was something I just had to be.” – Lupita Nyong’o
“If women want any rights more than they’s got, why don’t they just take them, and not be talking about it.” – Sojourner Truth
“Rare is the ministry praying that they would be worthy of the giftedness of Black minds and hearts.” – Austin Channing Brown
“Speak up for yourself and what you believe in. You can still be an elegant woman and be strong and powerful.” – Misty Copeland
“Struggle is a never-ending process. Freedom is never really won, you earn it and win it in every generation.” – Coretta Scott King
“And anything I have accomplished, I did so not in spite of being a black woman, but because I am a black woman.” – Gabrielle Union
“You may be amazed that you are still unique and beautiful as your natural self. Only you can decide if this style is for you.” – Monica Millner
“I am a strong woman with or without this other person, with or without this job, and with or without these tight pants.” ― Queen Latifah
“Black women were armed, black women were dangerous and the less money they had the deadlier the weapon they choose.” – Toni Morrison
“We must reject not only the stereotypes that others hold of us, but also the stereotypes that we hold of ourselves.” ― Shirley Chisholm
“She said black women are so special. Few men of any color and even fewer white women can deal with how fabulous we are.” – Maya Angelou
“As a black woman, the decision to love yourself just as you are is a radical act. And I’m as radical as they come.” – Bethanee Epifani J. Bryant
“It’s easy to be independent when you’ve got money. But to be independent when you haven’t got a thing – that’s the Lord test.” – Mahalia Jackson
“My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.” – Maya Angelou
“When I dare to be powerful – to use my strength in the service of my vision. then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid.” – Audre Lorde
“I want to be remembered as someone who used herself and anything she could touch to work for justice and freedom… I leant to be remembered as one who tried.” – Dorothy Height
“Women have an unique power of being able to look at the world’s problems and discover solutions that transform lives and make the world a better place.” – Dr. Ayanna Howard
“The one thing I feel is lacking in Hollywood today is an understanding of the beauty, the power, the sexuality, the uniqueness, the humor of being a regular black woman.” – Viola Davis
“Sometimes, I feel discriminated against, but it does not make me angry. It merely astonishes me. How can any deny themselves the pleasure of my company? It’s beyond me.” – Zora Neale Hurston
“Black girl magic is a rallying call of recognition. Embedded in the everyday is a magnificence that is so easy to miss because we’re so mired in the struggle and what society says we are.” – Ava DuVernay
“You can’t eat beauty, it doesn’t sustain you. What is fundamentally beautiful is compassion, for yourself and those around you. That kind of beauty enflames the heart and enchants the soul.” – Lupita Nyong’o
“Women make up more than half of the world’s population and potential. So it is neither just nor practical for their voices, for our voices, to go unheard at the highest levels of decision-making.” – Meghan Markle
“I’m very proud of be black, but black is not all I am. That’s my cultural historical background, my genetic makeup, but it’s not all of who I am nor is it the basis from which I answer every question.” – Denzel Washington
“I don’t harp on the negative because if you do, then there’s no progression. There’s no forward movement. You got to always look on the bright side of things, and we are in control. Like, you have control over the choices you make.” – Taraji P. Henson
“I believe that telling our stories, first to ourselves and then to one another and the world, is a revolutionary act. It is an act that can be met with hostility, exclusion, and violence. It can also lead to love, understanding, transcendence, and community.” – Janet Mock
“You may not always have a comfortable life and you will not always be able to solve all of the world’s problems at once but don’t ever underestimate the importance you can have because history has shown us that courage can be contagious and hope can take on a life of its own.” – Michelle Obama
“I think the political and democratic apparatus has woken up to see the real value of Black women and now they are doing all kinds of things to hold on to it and bring black women into the fold and black women are like, ‘We just want you to hire us, give us resources, let us lead, and get out of our way.’” – Symone D. Sanders, political strategist.
“I came here . . . to be a part of creating a new, more just world, to promulgate the living legacy of great Black women who’ve traveled this road before me and write a new chapter in Black feminism that makes it explicit that Black women can be unified, are powerful beyond measure, and they can work to turn this world right side up again.” – Farah Tanis
“I don’t know everything. I know a fraction of what there is to know and I don’t think I will ever know everything, but it’s important to me to constantly challenge myself, to understanding different viewpoints, really understanding nuance in topics, so I can feel qualified in what I say, so I’m not preaching falsely of what I’m unaware of.” – Yara Shahidi
“Ideally, I want to see all beauties, all shapes, all sizes, all skin tones, all backgrounds represented in my profession. Now that I am blessed to be that reflection I was once looking for, I’m making a promise to speak out for that little girl that I used to be. I might not have the power to change what media puts out there, or to single-handedly convince young girls like me that they should love themselves. But what I can do is start with me: living each day, embracing who I am.” – Danielle Brooks
Let us know which of the above amazing black women quotes and sayings you resonate the most with? If you have a quote which is not on the above list, please share it in the comments section below.
Share these quotes with the women in your life, with the women you admire, the ones you want to see succeed, and the ones who have been there for you on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, Tumblr, and more.
