Quotes by Jesse Jackson

If you fall behind, run faster. Never give up, never surrender, and rise up against the odds.

— Jesse Jackson

Wisdom

What is the American dream? The American dream is one big tent. One big tent. And on that big tent you have four basic promises: equal protection under the law, equal opportunity, equal access, and fair share.

— Jesse Jackson

Hope

At the end of the day, we must go forward with hope and not backward by fear and division.

— Jesse Jackson

Courage

No one should negotiate their dreams. Dreams must be free to fly high. No government, no legislature, has a right to limit your dreams. You should never agree to surrender your dreams.

— Jesse Jackson

Hope

It is a historical error for those who were not there to just refer to August 28th as 'I Have a Dream' speech day. That is a real disservice to those who were there. It was a sad day. It was not a celebration environment.

— Jesse Jackson

Hope

When you create more small businesses, you create small entrepreneurship. Out of that comes self-determination and employment.

— Jesse Jackson

Wisdom

Today's students can put dope in their veins or hope in their brains. If they can conceive it and believe it, they can achieve it. They must know it is not their aptitude but their attitude that will determine their altitude.

— Jesse Jackson

Success

Time is neutral and does not change things. With courage and initiative, leaders change things.

— Jesse Jackson

Courage

In many ways, history is marked as 'before' and 'after' Rosa Parks. She sat down in order that we all might stand up, and the walls of segregation came down.

— Jesse Jackson

Wisdom

Both tears and sweat are salty, but they render a different result. Tears will get you sympathy; sweat will get you change.

— Jesse Jackson

Wisdom

America is not a blanket woven from one thread, one color, one cloth.

— Jesse Jackson

Wisdom

If my mind can conceive it, and my heart can believe it, I know I can achieve it.

— Jesse Jackson

Love

There is no power in cynicism. There is no forward thrust in cynicism.

— Jesse Jackson

Wisdom

A check or credit card, a Gucci bag strap, anything of value will do. Give as you live.

— Jesse Jackson

Wisdom

While I've spent a lot of quality time with my children, perhaps it's not been enough.

— Jesse Jackson

Wisdom

Those powers that control the tent are not threatened at all by any activity that you engage in, in the shadows, that's not moving toward the tent. And I am rather convinced that we have a generation that is so preoccupied with life in the shadows, they never even focus on getting to the sunlight where you open up the big tent.

— Jesse Jackson

Life

Our dreams must be stronger than our memories. We must be pulled by our dreams, rater than pushed by our memories.

— Jesse Jackson

Hope

I am not a perfect servant. I am a public servant doing my best against the odds. As I develop and serve, be patient. God is not finished with me yet.

— Jesse Jackson

Wisdom

If there are occasions when my grape turned into a raisin and my joy bell lost its resonance, please forgive me. Charge it to my head and not to my heart.

— Jesse Jackson

Love

Urban America has been redlined. Government has not offered tax incentives for investment, as it has in a dozen foreign markets. Banks have redlined it. Industries have moved out, they've redlined it. Clearly, to break up the redlining process, there must be incentives to green-line with hedges against risk.

— Jesse Jackson

Wisdom

Many kids come out of college, they have a credit card and a diploma. They don't know how to buy a house or a car or health insurance or life insurance. They do not know basic microeconomics.

— Jesse Jackson

Life

Never look down on anybody unless you're helping him up.

— Jesse Jackson

Wisdom

Leadership cannot just go along to get along. Leadership must meet the moral challenge of the day.

— Jesse Jackson

Wisdom

Deliberation and debate is the way you stir the soul of our democracy.

— Jesse Jackson

Wisdom