5 Quotes & Sayings By J Rufus Fears

Born in 1854, J. Rufus Fears was a pioneer of African American literature. He was educated at Oberlin College and became a teacher and school principal. He served as the first president of Tuskegee Institute (1909-1911), and as director of the Bureau of Education (1921-1924) Read more

He published several historical and biographical works, including A History of the Colored Race in America: From 1619 to 1880 (1891); A History of the Negro Race in America: From 1619 to 1880, Volume II (1891); and The Life and Public Services of Booker T. Washington (1903).

1
I fear that we live in an ahistorical age in which we believe that we are so wise that we no longer need the lessons of the past, perhaps most disturbingly of all that technology has put us beyond the lessons of the past. J. Rufus Fears
2
10 fundamental lessons of history:1. We do not learn from history.2. Science and technology do not make us immune to the laws of history.3. Freedom is not a universal value.4. Power is the universal value.5. The Middle East is the crucible of conflict and the graveyard of empires.6. The United States shares the destinies of the great democracies, the republics, and the superpowers of the past.7. Along with the lust for power, religion and spirituality are the most profound motivators in human history.8. Great nations rise and fall because of human decisions made by individual leaders.9. The statesman is distinguished from a mere politician by four qualities: a bedrock of principles, a moral compass, a vision, and the ability to create a consensus to achieve that vision.10. Throughout its history, the United States has charted a unique role in history. J. Rufus Fears
3
The highways of American cities are an enduring testimony to our acceptance of ugliness J. Rufus Fears
4
The lecturer points to Dietrich Bonhoeffer's decision to get engaged while in prison as his "positive statement that life will go on, " his affirmation of the power of love. J. Rufus Fears