Charles Brantley Aycock

North Carolina · born or raised1859–1912

American politician (1859-1912)

Born in Wayne County
Studied at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Quotations with a citation

It will be a glorious day for us if our people in the hour of their prosperity and wonderful growth and development can realize that men can never grow higher and better by rising on the weakness and ignorance of their fellows, but only by aiding their fellowmen and lifting them to the same high plane which they themselves occupy.

To-day we can boast for the first time in the history of the State that we have redeemed our pledge, kept faith with the people, and made provision for all the children. If the child is blind, we have teachers ready to open his eyes. If he is deaf, he can be taught to speak. If he is friendless and poor, the schoolhouse door stands wide open to shed its genial warmth upon him.

We stand a-tiptoe on the misty mountain height and see the morning sun make purple the glories of the east. We are entering upon a new day, the day of equality, of opportunity, the hour when every man shall be free to work mightily for himself until his soul, filled to satisfaction, shall overflow with a common benefit to mankind, owing no tribute to any one and bound only to love his fellow man and serve his God as to him may seem best.

Equal! That is the word! On that word I plant myself and my party -- the equal right of every child born on earth to have the opportunity "to burgeon out all that there is within him."