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“You can be kind and true and fair and generous and just, and even merciful, occasionally. But to be that thing time after time, you have to really have courage.”

Source: Senior Convocation address, Cornell University, 24 May 2008

Context Addressing Cornell's graduating class the day before commencement, she told them courage was the most important of the virtues.

Portrait of Maya Angelou
Maya AngelouUnited States · 1928–2014
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