No excellent soul is exempt from a mixture of madness.

I like the religion that teaches liberty, equality and fraternity.

Whoever undertakes to set himself up as a judge of Truth and Knowledge is shipwrecked by the laughter of the gods.

Spirituality begins where worldly wisdom ends.

My parents shared not only an improbable love, they shared an abiding faith in the possibilities of this nation. They would give me an African name, Barack, or blessed, believing that in a tolerant America your name is no barrier to success.

I was born in Harlem, raised in the South Bronx, went to public school, got out of public college, went into the Army, and then I just stuck with it.

The foolish man conceives the idea of 'self.' The wise man sees there is no ground on which to build the idea of 'self;' thus, he has a right conception of the world and well concludes that all compounds amassed by sorrow will be dissolved again, but the truth will remain.

Restlessness is discontent and discontent is the first necessity of progress. Show me a thoroughly satisfied man and I will show you a failure.

Do not let spacious plans for a new world divert your energies from saving what is left of the old. 

Arise! Awake! and stop not until the goal is reached.

Whatever words we utter should be chosen with care for people will hear them and be influenced by them for good or ill.

Each one of them is Jesus in disguise.