Who said “Character, not circumstances, makes the man.”?

Verified

Booker T. Washington. A published source records them saying or writing it.

Source"Democracy and Education", address at the Institute of Arts and Sciences, Brooklyn, New York (30 September 1896)

Evidence: Wikiquote · How we check

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Cite this quote

For academic work, cite the original where you can: "Democracy and Education", address at the Institute of Arts and Sciences, Brooklyn, New York (30 September 1896).

APA

Washington, B. T. (n.d.). Character, not circumstances, makes the man. [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/9488-character-not-circumstances-makes-the-man/

MLA

Washington, Booker T. “Character, not circumstances, makes the man.” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/9488-character-not-circumstances-makes-the-man/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Washington, Booker T. “Character, not circumstances, makes the man.” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/9488-character-not-circumstances-makes-the-man/.