20th century

Explore 4282 quotes from the 20th century

Hello. My name's Forrest, Forrest Gump.

Forrest Gump

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Speaker

Forrest Gump

Actor

Tom Hanks

Source

Forrest Gump

Medium

Film

Genre

Drama (film) Drama

Statement Type

Introduction

Language

English

Time

1994 1990s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Forrest Gump. Directed by Robert Zemeckis, The Tisch Company, 1994.

The time to make up your mind about people is never.

The Philadelphia Story

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Topic

Second chances Judging others

Speaker

Tracy Lord

Actor

Katharine Hepburn

Source

The Philadelphia Story

Medium

Film

Genre

Romantic comedy (film) Romantic comedy

Language

English

Time

1940 1940s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

The Philadelphia Story. Directed by George Cukor, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1940.

Nobody dies from lack of sex. It's lack of love we die from.

Margaret Atwood

The Handmaid's Tale

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Topic

Need for love Lack of love Love

Author

Margaret Atwood

Source

The Handmaid's Tale

Medium

Novel

Genre

Dystopian fiction

Language

English

Time

1985 1980s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Atwood, Margaret. The Handmaid's Tale. McClelland and Stewart/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 1985, ch. 18.

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

I Have a Dream

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Read the full transcript of I Have a Dream at americanrhetoric.com

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Topic

Racial equality Political reconciliation

Speaker

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Source

I Have a Dream

Medium

Speech

Genre

Political speech

Language

English

Time

1963 1960s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

King, Martin Luther, Jr. "I Have a Dream." March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. 28 Aug. 1963, Lincoln Memorial, Washington, DC, USA.

Only free men can negotiate. Prisoners cannot enter into contracts.

Nelson Mandela

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Topic

Freedom Apartheid

Author

Nelson Mandela

Language

English

Time

1985 1980s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Mandela, Nelson. Statement declining offer of freedom. Presented by Zindzi Mandela. 10 Feb. 1985, Jabulani Stadium, Soweto, South Africa, Africa.

Set me free, why don'tcha, baby
Get out my life, why don'tcha, baby
'Cause you don't really love me
You just keep me hangin' on.

The Supremes

You Keep Me Hangin' On

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Topic

Broken relationships

Speaker

The Supremes

Source

You Keep Me Hangin' On

Genre

Pop music

Language

English

Time

1966 1960s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Holland, Eddie and Brian Holland and Lamont Dozier. You Keep Me Hangin' On. Performed by The Supremes. Motown Records, 1966.

Advertising has us chasing cars and clothes, working jobs we hate so we can buy shit we don’t need.

Tyler Durden

Fight Club

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Topic

Consumerism Advertising and marketing

Speaker

Tyler Durden

Actor

Brad Pitt

Source

Fight Club

Medium

Film

Genre

Drama (film) Drama

Language

English

Time

1999 1990s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Fight Club. Directed by David Fincher, Fox 2000 Pictures/Regency Enterprises/Linson Films, 1999.

So they put a rifle in my hand
Sent me off to a foreign land
To go and kill the yellow man
Born in the U. S. A.

Bruce Springsteen

Born in the U.S.A

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Topic

Vietnam War

Speaker

Bruce Springsteen

Source

Born in the U.S.A Born in the U.S.A (album)

Medium

Song

Genre

Rock music

Language

English

Time

1984 1980s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Springsteen, Bruce. "Born in the U.S.A." Born in the U.S.A. Columbia Records, 1984.

Gentlemen, welcome to Fight Club. The first rule of Fight Club is you do not talk about Fight Club.

Tyler Durden

Fight Club

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Topic

Secret societies Secrets

Speaker

Tyler Durden

Actor

Brad Pitt

Source

Fight Club

Medium

Film

Genre

Drama (film) Drama

Language

English

Time

1999 1990s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Fight Club. Directed by David Fincher, Fox 2000 Pictures/Regency Enterprises/Linson Films, 1999.

Why did God make me an outcast and a stranger in mine own house?

W.E.B. Du Bois

The Souls of Black Folk

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Topic

Black experience

Author

W.E.B. Du Bois

Source

The Souls of Black Folk

Genre

Sociology

Language

English

Time

1903 1900s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Du Bois, William Edward Burghardt. The Souls of Black Folk: Essays and Sketches. A. C. McClurg & Co., 1903, ch. 1.

Current Citation

Du Bois, William Edward Burghardt. The Souls of Black Folk, edited by Brent Hayes Edwards. Oxford University Press, 2009, ch. 1.

I submit that an individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust, and who willingly accepts the penalty of imprisonment in order to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the highest respect for law.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Letter from Birmingham Jail

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Read the Letter From a Birmingham Jail at upenn.edu

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Topic

Civil disobedience Breaking the law Fighting injustice

Author

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Source

Letter from Birmingham Jail

Medium

Open letter Letter

Language

English

Time

1963 1960s 20th century

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

King, Martin Luther, Jr. "Letter from a Birmingham Jail." 16 Apr. 1963.

Current Citation

King, Martin Luther, Jr. "Letter from a Birmingham City Jail (1963)." A Testament of Hope: The Essential Writings and Speeches, edited by James M. Washington. HarperOne, 2003.

God at bottom is nothing but an exalted father.

Sigmund Freud

Totem and Taboo

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Topic

Nature of God God

Author

Sigmund Freud

Source

Totem and Taboo

Genre

Sociology

Language

German

Time

1913 1910s 20th century

Authentication Score 2

Citation

Freud, Sigmund. Totem und Tabu Einige Übereinstimmungen im Seelenleben der Wilden und der Neurotiker [Totem and Taboo Some Similarities in the Soul Life of the Wild and the Neurotic]. Beacon Press, 1913, ch. 4, sect. 6. Originally published in Imago, c. 1912.

Yesterday,
All my troubles seemed so far away,
Now it looks as though they're here to stay,
Oh, I believe in yesterday.

The Beatles

Yesterday

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Topic

Lost love Broken heart

Speaker

The Beatles

Source

Yesterday Help!

Medium

Song

Language

English

Time

1965 1960s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Lennon, John and Paul McCartney. "Yesterday." Performed by The Beatles. Help! Parlophone Records, 1965.

We gotta get out while we're young
'Cause tramps like us, baby, we were born to run.

Bruce Springsteen

Born to Run (song)

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Topic

Escape Adventure

Speaker

Bruce Springsteen

Source

Born to Run (song) Born to Run (album)

Medium

Song

Genre

Rock music

Language

English

Time

1975 1970s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Springsteen, Bruce. "Born to Run." Born to Run. Columbia Records, 1975.

A little less conversation, a little more action please.

Elvis Presley

A Little Less Conversation

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Topic

Words vs. actions

Speaker

Elvis Presley

Source

A Little Less Conversation

Medium

Song

Genre

Pop

Language

English

Time

1968 1960s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Presley, Elvis. "A Little Less Conversation." Written by Mac Davis and Billy Strange. Almost in Love. RCA Records, 1968.

Wise men say
Only fools rush in
But I can't help
Falling in love with you

Elvis Presley

Can't Help Falling in Love

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Topic

Falling in love

Speaker

Elvis Presley

Source

Can't Help Falling in Love

Medium

Song

Genre

Pop

Language

English

Time

1961 1960s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Presley, Elvis. "Can't Help Falling in Love." Written by Hugo Peretti and Luigi Creatore and George David Weiss. Blue Hawaii. RCA Records, 1961.

It's hard to be humble when you are as great as I am.

Muhammad Ali

More information about this quote

Topic

Humility Greatness

Speaker

Muhammad Ali

Statement Type

Boast

Language

English

Time

1974 1970s 20th century

Authentication Score 1

Citation

Ali, Muhammad. Quoted in The New York Times. 30 Nov. 1974.

The era of big government is over.

Bill Clinton

1996 State of the Union Address

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Topic

Role of government American politics

Speaker

Bill Clinton

Source

1996 State of the Union Address Presidential State of the Union address

Medium

Speech

Genre

Political speech

Language

English

Time

1996 1990s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Clinton, Bill. "State of the Union Address." Joint session of the United States Congress. 23 Jan. 1996, United States Capitol Building, Washington, DC, USA.

Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down.

Simon & Garfunkel

Bridge over Troubled Water

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Topic

Helping others

Speaker

Simon & Garfunkel

Source

Bridge over Troubled Water Bridge over Troubled Water (album)

Medium

Song

Genre

Pop rock

Language

English

Time

1970 1970s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Simon, Paul. "Bridge Over Troubled Water." Performed by Simon & Garfunkel. Bridge Over Troubled Water, Columbia Records, 1970.

The nation is sick, trouble is in the land, confusion all around... But I know, somehow, that only when it is dark enough can you see the stars.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

I've Been to the Mountaintop

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Topic

Things get better

Speaker

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Source

I've Been to the Mountaintop

Medium

Speech

Genre

Political speech

Statement Type

Metaphor, analogy and simile

Language

English

Time

1968 1960s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

King, Martin Luther, Jr. “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop.” 3 Apr. 1968, Mason Temple, Memphis, TN, USA.