Amelia Boynton Robinson: elders who move us forward

Civil rights leaders are elders with divine wisdom which can move us to act. (Photo by Kurk Johnson)

 

Excerpt from 2011 interview 
"Just to be given the right to vote is not enough. The Civil Rights Era and the Voting Rights Act were just the beginning.

“We had a wonderful leader (MLK) who was designated from the beginning of the world. ...We were enamored with the baby, (Yolanda) but he was just ordinary; but my opinion of him soon changed.

“When young people are caught up in their own dreams, they make fewer mistakes. It’s all right to dream, but don’t let dreams be your master. I believe in dreams, but I don’t believe in letting dreams control you without using your conscience and God’s guidance.

“I did not work hard just so today’s generation could go to any hotel or restaurant...Why not get together and own buildings?

“Get educated. Go into mathematics, science, astrology, astronomy. Excel. Then we can afford to fight. We need to have ammunition, which is education."