Create Yours

Top 15 Derrick Bell Quotes (2025 Update)

Derrick Bell Quote: “Education leads to enlightenment. Enlightenment opens the way to empathy. Empathy foreshadows reform.”

1. “Education leads to enlightenment. Enlightenment opens the way to empathy. Empathy foreshadows reform.”

— Derrick Bell

Derrick Bell Quote: “However self-sufficient we may fancy ourselves, we exist only in relation – to our friend, family, and life partners; to those we teach and mentor; to our co-workers, neighbors, strangers; and even to forces we cannot fully conceive of, let alone define. In many ways, we are our relationships.”

2. “However self-sufficient we may fancy ourselves, we exist only in relation – to our friend, family, and life partners; to those we teach and mentor; to our co-workers, neighbors, strangers; and even to forces we cannot fully conceive of, let alone define. In many ways, we are our relationships.”

— Derrick Bell

Derrick Bell Quote: “It appears that my worst fears have been realised: we have made progress in everything yet nothing has changed.”

3. “It appears that my worst fears have been realised: we have made progress in everything yet nothing has changed.”

— Derrick Bell

Derrick Bell Quote: “We live in a system that espouses merit, equality, and a level playing field, but exalts those with wealth, power, and celebrity, however gained.”

4. “We live in a system that espouses merit, equality, and a level playing field, but exalts those with wealth, power, and celebrity, however gained.”

— Derrick Bell

Derrick Bell Quote: “Courage is a decision you make to act in a way that works through your own fear for the greater good as opposed to pure self-interest. Courage means putting at risk your immediate self-interest for what you believe is right.”

5. “Courage is a decision you make to act in a way that works through your own fear for the greater good as opposed to pure self-interest. Courage means putting at risk your immediate self-interest for what you believe is right.”

— Derrick Bell

Derrick Bell Quote: “Slavery is, as an example of what white America has done, a constant reminder of what white America might do.”

6. “Slavery is, as an example of what white America has done, a constant reminder of what white America might do.”

— Derrick Bell

Derrick Bell Quote: “I live to harass white folks.”

7. “I live to harass white folks.”

— Derrick Bell

Derrick Bell Quote: “Power in the hands of the reformer is no less potentially corrupting than in the hands of the oppressor.”

8. “Power in the hands of the reformer is no less potentially corrupting than in the hands of the oppressor.”

— Derrick Bell

Derrick Bell Quote: “The challenge throughout has been to tell what I view as the truth about racism without causing disabling despair.”

9. “The challenge throughout has been to tell what I view as the truth about racism without causing disabling despair.”

— Derrick Bell

Derrick Bell Quote: “All ethical people strive to choose “right” over “easy” when confronted by situations that force them to choose one or the other.”

10. “All ethical people strive to choose “right” over “easy” when confronted by situations that force them to choose one or the other.”

— Derrick Bell

Derrick Bell Quote: “Resistance is a powerful motivator precisely because it enables us to fulfill our longing to achieve our goals while letting us boldly recognize and name the obstacles to those achievements.”

11. “Resistance is a powerful motivator precisely because it enables us to fulfill our longing to achieve our goals while letting us boldly recognize and name the obstacles to those achievements.”

— Derrick Bell

Derrick Bell Quote: “A rule without exceptions is an instrument capable of doing mischief to the innocent and bringing grief – as well as injustice – to those who should gain exemptions from the rule’s functioning.”

12. “A rule without exceptions is an instrument capable of doing mischief to the innocent and bringing grief – as well as injustice – to those who should gain exemptions from the rule’s functioning.”

— Derrick Bell

Derrick Bell Quote: “Self-esteem is like a difficult-to-cultivate flower. It requires frequent nurturing that occurs when you keep your word and follow through on your promises.”

13. “Self-esteem is like a difficult-to-cultivate flower. It requires frequent nurturing that occurs when you keep your word and follow through on your promises.”

— Derrick Bell

Derrick Bell Quote: “My wife says I spend my life trying to teach white folks. I’m not so sure I’m proud of it, but she’s right.”

14. “My wife says I spend my life trying to teach white folks. I’m not so sure I’m proud of it, but she’s right.”

— Derrick Bell

Derrick Bell Quote: “Few whites are ready to actively promote civil rights for blacks.”

15. “Few whites are ready to actively promote civil rights for blacks.”

— Derrick Bell

Motivational Quotes

Motivational Quotes

Inspirational Entrepreneurship Quotes

Inspirational Entrepreneurship Quotes

Positive Quotes

Positive Quotes

Albert Einstein Quotes

Albert Einstein Quotes

Motivational Quotes

Motivational Quotes

INSPIRATIONAL SUCCESS MOTIVATIONAL

Inspirational Entrepreneurship Quotes

Inspirational Entrepreneurship Quotes

ENTREPRENEURSHIP BUSINESS INSPIRATIONAL

Positive Quotes

Positive Quotes

Albert Einstein Quotes

Albert Einstein Quotes

ENTREPRENEURSHIP BUSINESS INSPIRATIONAL

Steve Jobs Quotes

Steve Jobs Quotes

ENTREPRENEURSHIP BUSINESS APPLE

Inspirational Quotes

Inspirational Quotes

COURAGE MOTIVATIONAL STRENGTH

INSPIRATIONAL SUCCESS MOTIVATIONAL

Swami Vivekananda Quotes

Swami Vivekananda Quotes

LIFE SPIRITUALITY

Save image...
Permalink
Open in new tab
Copy quote text

Beautiful Wallpapers and Images

We hope you enjoyed our collection of 15 Derrick Bell Quotes.

All the images on this page were created with QuoteFancy Studio.

Use QuoteFancy Studio to create high-quality images for your desktop backgrounds, blog posts, presentations, social media, videos, posters, and more.

Thank you!

Please check your email.