30 Fannie Lou Hamer Quotes On Voting, Justice, & Civil Rights

Check out the best Fannie Lou Hamer quotes that reflect her commitment to equality, her powerful calls to action, and her unyielding spirit in the face of adversity.

Fannie Lou Hamer was a fearless American civil rights activist, voting rights advocate, and leader in the fight for racial equality during the 1960s.

Born on October 6, 1917, in Montgomery County, Mississippi, Hamer became a symbol of courage and determination as she worked tirelessly to secure voting rights for African Americans and advance social justice.

Her activism began in 1962 when she attended a civil rights meeting and decided to register to vote. This bold decision marked the beginning of her lifelong fight against racial discrimination and voter suppression.

Hamer became a key leader in the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and played a pivotal role in organizing Mississippi’s Freedom Summer in 1964.

Her powerful speech at the 1964 Democratic National Convention, where she shared the brutal violence she and others experienced, brought national attention to the civil rights struggle in the South.

In addition to her advocacy, Hamer co-founded the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party (MFDP) and was a strong voice for women’s rights, economic equity, and education reform.

As an activist, Hamer was assaulted, threatened, arrested, and shot at but nothing ever stopped her from battling racism and inequality.

Fannie Lou Hamer passed away on March 14, 1977, leaving behind a lasting legacy of bravery and dedication to the cause of justice.

In recognition of her contributions, she was posthumously inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame in 1993.

To honor her incredible life and work, we’ve curated a collection of the most famous Fannie Lou Hamer quotes to inspire you to take action and work toward building a fairer and more equitable world.

Top 10 Fannie Lou Hamer Quotes

1. “Nobody’s free until everybody’s free.” — Fannie Lou Hamer

   
2. “When I liberate others, I liberate myself.” — Fannie Lou Hamer 

   

3. “I am sick and tired of being sick and tired.” — Fannie Lou Hamer 

   

4. “If this is a Great Society, I’d hate to see a bad one.” — Fannie Lou Hamer

   

5. “Righteousness exalts a nation. Hate just makes people miserable.” — Fannie Lou Hamer  

   

6. “Every red stripe in that flag represents the black man’s blood that has been shed.” — Fannie Lou Hamer
7. “To support whatever is right, and to bring in justice where we’ve had so much injustice.” — Fannie Lou Hamer
8. “Never to forget where we came from and always praise the bridges that carried us over.” — Fannie Lou Hamer                   

   

9. “If I fall, I’ll fall five feet four inches forward in the fight for freedom. I’m not backing off.” – Fannie Lou Hamer   

   

10. “You can pray until you faint, but unless you get up and try to do something, God is not going to put it in your lap.” — Fannie Lou Hamer          

    

Best Fannie Lou Hamer Quotes

1. “It’s time for America to get right.” — Fannie Lou Hamer
2. “A black woman’s body was never hers alone.” — Fannie Lou Hamer
3. “You don’t have to like everybody, but you have to love everybody.” — Fannie Lou Hamer
4. “If I am truly free, who can tell me how much of my freedom I can have today?” — Fannie Lou Hamer
5. “I don’t want equal rights with the white man; if I did, I’d be a thief and a murderer.” — Fannie Lou Hamer
6. “When I liberate myself, I liberate others. If you don’t speak out ain’t nobody going to speak out for you.” — Fannie Lou Hamer
7. “We are here to work side-by-side with this “black” man in trying to bring liberation to all our people!” — Fannie Lou Hamer
8. “There is one thing you have got to learn about our movement. Three people are better than no people.” — Fannie Lou Hamer
9. “You know I’m not hung up on this liberating myself from the “black” man – I’m not going to try that thing.” — Fannie Lou Hamer
10. “If the white man gives you anything – just remember when he gets ready he will take it right back. We have to take for ourselves.” — Fannie Lou Hamer
11. “We didn’t come all the way up here to compromise for no more than we’d gotten here. We didn’t come all this way for no two seats, ’cause all of us is tired.” — Fannie Lou Hamer

Famous Quotes From Fannie Lou Hamer

1. “Black people know what white people mean when they say “law and order”.” — Fannie Lou Hamer
2. “I feel sorry for anybody that could let hate wrap them up. Ain’t no such thing as I can hate anybody and hope to see God’s face.” — Fannie Lou Hamer
3. “I would like to talk about some of the things that happened that made me know that there was something wrong in the south from a child.” — Fannie Lou Hamer
4. “People have got to get together and work together. I’m tired of the kind of oppression that white people have inflicted on us and are still trying to inflict.” — Fannie Lou Hamer
5. “One day I know the struggle will change. There’s got to be a change-not only for Mississippi, not only for the people in the United States, but people all over the world.” — Fannie Lou Hamer
6. “With the people, for the people, by the people. I crack up when I hear it; I say, with the handful, for the handful, by the handful, cause that’s what really happens.” — Fannie Lou Hamer
7. “Sometimes it seem like to tell the truth today is to run the risk of being killed. But if I fall, I’ll fall five feet four inches forward in the fight for freedom. I’m not backing off.” — Fannie Lou Hamer
8. “We serve God by serving our fellow man; kids are suffering from malnutrition. People are going to the fields hungry. If you are a Christian, we are tired of being mistreated.” — Fannie Lou Hamer
9. “What I really feel is necessary is that the black people in this country will have to upset this apple cart. We can no longer ignore the fact that America is not the… land of the free and the home of the brave.” — Fannie Lou Hamer
10. “I always said if I lived to get grown and had a chance, I was going to try to get something for my mother and I was going to do something for the black man of the South if it would cost my life; I was determined to see that things were changed.” — Fannie Lou Hamer

Conclusion

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