24 Quotes by Benjamin E. Mays
Benjamin E. Mays, an influential educator and civil rights leader, dedicated his life to championing education as a means of empowerment and social change. Born in 1894 in South Carolina, Mays overcame the challenges of racism and poverty to become a trailblazing figure in the field of education. As the president of Morehouse College in Atlanta for nearly three decades, Mays transformed the institution into a beacon of academic excellence and a center for cultivating future leaders.
Mays firmly believed in the transformative power of education, emphasizing its role in empowering individuals and dismantling systemic racism. His mentorship and guidance had a profound impact on notable civil rights leaders, including Martin Luther King Jr., whom Mays mentored during his time at Morehouse. Mays' contributions extended beyond the realm of education, as he played an instrumental role in the civil rights movement, advocating for equal rights and justice.
Benjamin E. Mays' commitment to education, his belief in the potential of every individual, and his unwavering dedication to social justice have made him an inspirational figure and a catalyst for change. His impact on education and civil rights continues to be felt, reminding us of the transformative power of education in the pursuit of a more just and equitable society.
Benjamin E. Mays Quotes
The tragedy of life doesn't lie in not reaching your goal. The tragedy lies in having no goal to reach. (Meaning)
It isn't a calamity to die with dreams unfulfilled, but it is a calamity not to dream.
It is not a disgrace not to reach the stars, but it is a disgrace to have no stars to reach for. Not failure, but low aim is sin.
Whatever you do, strive to do it so well that no man living and no man dead and no man yet to be born could do it any better.
It is not your environment, it is you- the quality of your mind, the integrity of your soul and the determination of your will that will decide your future and shape your life.
The tragedy of life is not found in failure but complacency. Not in you doing too much, but doing too little. Not in you living above your means, but below your capacity. It's not failure but aiming too low, that is life's greatest tragedy.
Every man and woman is born into the world to do something unique and something distinctive and if he or she does not do it, it will never be done.
We, today, stand on the shoulders of our predecessors who have gone before us. We, as their successors, must catch the torch of freedom and liberty passed on to us by our ancestors. We cannot lose in this battle.
It isn't more light we need, it isn't more truth, and it isn't more scientific data. It is more Christ, more courage, more spiritual insight to act on the light we have.
Whatever you do, do it so well that people looking on will feel that the task was reserved especially for you by God Himself.
It must be borne in mind that the tragedy of life doesn't lie in not reaching your goal. The tragedy lies in having no goals to reach.
He who starts behind in the great race of life must forever remain behind or run faster than the man in front.
A child must learn early to believe that she is somebody worthwhile, and that she can do many praiseworthy things.
It isn't a disgrace not to reach the stars, but it is a disgrace to have no stars to reach for.
However hard the road, however difficult today, tomorrow things will be better. Tomorrow may not be better, but we must believe that it will be.
You have the ability, now apply yourself.
Honest communication is built on truth and integrity and upon respect of the one for the other.
The tragedy of this life is not failure, but low aim.
The circumference of life cannot be rightly drawn until the center is set.
Failure isn't in not reaching your goal but in having no goal to reach.
In this perilous world, if a black boy wanted to live a halfway normal life and die a natural death he had to learn early the art of how to get along with white folks.
It is not a disaster to be unable to capture your ideal, but it is a disaster to have no ideal to capture.
Man is what his dreams are.
If what is communicated is false, it can hardly be called communication.
― Benjamin E. Mays Quotes
Chief Editor
Tal Gur is an author, founder, and impact-driven entrepreneur at heart. After trading his daily grind for a life of his own daring design, he spent a decade pursuing 100 major life goals around the globe. His journey and most recent book, The Art of Fully Living, has led him to found Elevate Society.
