When Dr. Michael Blanchard approached me with the idea to publish a book of quotes that flowed from the minds of some of our most gifted intellectuals, I lit up in anticipation of how that looked. I have a unique perspective here. Dr. Blanchard is not just my colleague; he is a friend. Iron sharpens iron, and Dr. Blanchard and I have spent countless hours indulging in meaningful conversations about the enigmatic issues that plague the Black community.

I am not surprised that he would have compiled such a list of quotes from so many brilliant minds because I cannot count the number of times I have seen snippets of our conversation pop up around the internet and social media with my name sitting next to them. I consider it one of the highest honors. Why is a book of quotes so crucial to the Black cause at a time like this? The answer is a bit complicated — existing in at least a trichotomous reality that is beautifully overlapping. First, quotes can be highly inspirational to the mind of a great thinker.

I cannot tell you how many times I have used quotes to launch my mind into the stratosphere of critical thought and hyper-examination of ideas, concepts, and theories that could, in some way, liberate my people. When you open your mind to what a quote reveals, it will take you inside the moment it emerged from the originator’s mind. Second, quotes have the power to reshape one’s thinking altogether. It can be easy to become encapsulated in our own cocoon of thought and reason — becoming imprisoned by our own mind.

When you read a quote from a great thinker, you appreciate and respect its meaning. It has the power to interpolate new concepts and uproot old ones. Quotations are often the seeds of uh-huh moments that literally change the course of a person’s life. For instance, one of my favorite quotes is by Author Steven Furtick: “If the vision you have for your life is not so huge that it intimidates you, there is a good chance it is insulting God.” You cannot read this quote and not be forced to reexamine the vision you have for your life. After all, the creator is examining it and could be insulted by it.

Finally, we live in a microwave society where everything has to happen now. To exacerbate this truth, many of my people don’t yet see the value in reading. We have become a generation taught by memes. Well, you can view this project as a book of recorded memes. Dr. Blanchard and I hope that you will be inspired and informed by the multitudinous quotations that occupy this book’s pages. We want so badly for the words to lift from the pages and flow into your heart and minds to illuminate a new system of thought. As you examine these quotations, I want you to open your mind to the unlimited possibilities of your ability to impact the world around you. Step outside of the limited mindset pushed upon you through years and years of social conditioning. See yourself as an instrument of change and not a victim of oppression. Act as if these great thinkers’ words were spoken with you in mind; because they were.

- Dr Rick Wallace

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