Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. Quotes
Born: November 29, 1908
Adam Clayton Powell, Jr., a towering figure of faith, civil rights, and political defiance, understood that true connection was the bedrock of human liberation. As the charismatic pastor of Harlem’s Abyssinian Baptist Church and a powerful U.S. Congressman, he preached a gospel of radical love that fought segregation and poverty. His philosophy held that justice was the highest form of affection, and that community was forged in the fires of shared struggle. His words resonate because they strip away pretense, revealing the raw, necessary bond between self-respect and collective care. Powell’s legacy is a testament to love as a revolutionary, unifying force.
Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. Quotes (8)
"I believe that Christianity in the United States has been dragging its feet, and I don't think there's any other force in America that has been more detrimental to the solution of our racial problems than Christianity."
— Adam Clayton Powell Jr"During past years, like frightened children, we were afraid to eat the strong meat of human rights and instead sucked the milk of civil rights from the breasts of white liberals, black Uncle Toms, and Aunt Jemimas."
— Adam Clayton Powell Jr"Tremendous changes are taking place in our country, eradicating the concept of second-class citizenship."
— Adam Clayton Powell Jr"I am proud to be a member of the Congress of the United States."
— Adam Clayton Powell Jr"Only legislative, judicial, and executive action can completely guarantee the victory of the free world."
— Adam Clayton Powell Jr"I'm advocating that American citizens interested in democracy should stay out of chain stores."
— Adam Clayton Powell Jr"The black masses must demand and refuse to accept nothing less than that proportionate percentage of the political spoils such as jobs, elective offices and appointments... They must reject the shameful racial tokenism that characterizes the political life of America today."
— Adam Clayton Powell Jr"Where Negroes provide 20 percent of the vote, they should have 20 per cent of the jobs."
— Adam Clayton Powell Jr