“What we accomplished during World War Two is just amazing. We turned our country upside down. African Americans were demanding to be given combat missions. 10% of Americans moved in order to relocate for a war job. We as a country accomplished this heroic, nearly miraculous thing, and we have this legacy of policies and agency - how did they do it? How did they fund it? How did they organize it? It is actually an example that we can borrow from very productively to guide us.” WorldTwoWarCountryJobsOrderGivenPolicyExampleMovedMissionsGuidesOur CountryAfrican AmericanLegacyWar Of The WorldsAgencyAccomplishedFundCombatHeroicOrganizeMiraculousUpside DownWorld War Two Author:Margaret D. Klein
“If you don't have a bed, or a dresser or a wall, or a book or a toy you are oppressed. An African American in a white world. A Jew in a Christian world. A gypsy. A Native American. A Chinese American. Let's say, you were born deprived.” IfsWorldBookChristianBornWhiteWallBedJewAfrican AmericanChineseNativeToysNative AmericanOppressedDeprivedGypsyDressers Author:Gerald Stern
“We are the in midst of a bipartisan moment as it relates to criminal justice reform and dealing with mass incarceration in America which disproportionately impacts the African-American community.” MomentsAmericaCommunityJusticeMassImpactCriminalsReformAfrican AmericanRelateMidstCriminal JusticeBipartisanIncarcerationMass Incarceration Author:Hakeem Jeffries
“If you think back , the Academy was doing a better job. Think about how many more African Americans were nominated.We need to get better at this. We used to be better at it.” IfsThinkingNeedsJobsUsedUsed To BeAfrican AmericanGet BetterAcademyBetter Jobs Author:George Clooney
“I sometimes wish I were African American because people don't bash them afterward. It's the hardest to be a woman.” PeopleSometimesWishHardestAfrican AmericanBash Author:Julie Delpy
“I walk into office, which is the casting office for CBS in New York. Mainly what they cast out of this office was the CBS daytime shows. I go in and walk into this room which every seat is filled with young African-American boys and girls and they were in their teens. I went, "I'm in the wrong place. Why am I here? What's going on?"So I go in and meet Norman [Lear].” ShowsYoungGirlWalksRoomsBoysNew YorkOfficeFilledCastsAfrican AmericanSeatsTeensCastingBoy And GirlDaytimeLear Author:Richard Masur
“When you look at the Justice Department's report talking about the Ferguson Police Department's rampant pattern of discrimination and its excessive use of force against African-American citizens, it's hard to try to rationalize how this cesspool of racism doesn't spill over onto the individual officers.” TryingLooksHardUseIndividualForceJusticeTalkingCitizensRacismPolicePatternsDiscriminationAfrican AmericanDepartmentReportsOfficersSpillsAmerican CitizensRationalizeUse Of ForceFergusonPolice Department Author:Benjamin Crump
“My husband [Julius Tennon] and I started a production company. We've already optioned a book and some scripts to do exactly that, to create more complicated, multi-faceted roles for African-Americans, especially African-American females. I think it's important.” ThinkingImportantBookCompanyRolesHusbandFemaleScriptsProductionsComplicatedAfrican AmericanMy HusbandJulius Author:Viola Davis
“I was just so honored to play the role of Cinderella and to just be the first African-American princess, that's just historic for me, that's such a mark in my life and my career and then the bonus of just working with my favorite person in the whole world, Whitney [Houston], like her voice just did something to my spirit.” WorldFirstsPersonsPlayWholeSpiritVoiceCareersRolesMarkMy FavoriteWhole WorldAfrican AmericanPrincessHonoredHistoricLike HerBonusHoustonWhitneyFavorite Person Author:Brandy Norwood
“Well, what I will tell you is the support from the world - it's not just an African-American citizen. There are people of all different walks of life who are rallying behind the concerns with the that Sandy was treated because what that says to me is that this is an American issue.” PeopleWorldWellsDifferentWalksBehindsSupportIssuesCitizensConcernTreatedAfrican AmericanAmerican CitizensWalks Of LifeSandyRallyingDifferent Walks Of Life Author:Sharon Cooper
“It's just cheaper to be White in America than it is to be Black, because of educational advances, because of the police incidents, because of the poverty we grow up in as African-Americans. So, it's just cheaper in this country if you're born a Caucasian than being born a Black person.” IfsPersonsCountryAmericaGrowsBlackBornWhitePovertyGrowing UpPoliceEducationalAfrican AmericanIncidentsCheaperBlack PersonCaucasian Author:Warren Ballentine
“Interestingly, a lot of the polling that I see is not along racial lines, but along generational lines. We are doing better and better among younger people, not so well among older people, whether they're African-American, whether they're white or whether they're Latino.” PeopleWellsLinesWhiteAfrican AmericanLatinoOlder PeoplePolling Author:Bernie Sanders
“I think, when the African-American community understands my record on criminal justice, my record on economics, the agenda we're bringing forth, raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour, dealing with the fact that we have more people in jail, shamefully, than any other country on Earth, that I am against the death penalty, Secretary Clinton is not, I think, as people become familiar with my ideas, we are going to do better and better.” PeopleThinkingIdeasCountryFactsEarthCommunityHoursJusticeRecordsEconomicsClintonCriminalsFamiliarAfrican AmericanAgendasJailOther CountriesSecretaryPenaltiesMinimumDeath PenaltyMinimum WageCriminal JusticeAgainst Death Penalty Author:Bernie Sanders
“I'm sorry, to boycott the Academy Awards is a slap in Chris Rock's face. To host is such a prestigious honor. To boycott it is not the issue. I think it does a disservice to all the African Americans that have worked so hard this year that will be attending and looking at this as an opportunity of a lifetime. I think it's a slap in the face. I understand the sentiment, but I don't appreciate the tactic.” ThinkingYearsDoeHardFacesOpportunityIssuesRocksHonorAppreciateLifetimeSorryAfrican AmericanSentimentsAwardsHostI'm SorryTacticsAcademySlapAttendingDisserviceAcademy AwardsBoycottPrestigiousSlap In The FaceOpportunities Of A Lifetime Author:Eva Marcille
“[Hillary] Clinton was able to assemble a winning Democratic coalition out here, beating Sanders among African-Americans, women, among women, and voters from union households, so, unions, women, African-Americans.” AbleWinningUnionsDemocraticClintonAfrican AmericanVotersHouseholdCoalitions Author:Chris Matthews
“We did really, really badly with older African-American voters. I mean we got decimated.” MeanAfrican AmericanVotersAmerican Voters Author:Bernie Sanders
“I think there are profound differences between the civil rights struggle for African Americans and the civil rights struggle for gay Americans.” ThinkingDifferencesStruggleRightsGayProfoundCivil RightsAfrican American Author:Christopher Rice
“People understand who Donald Trump is. There was a lawsuit against him for housing discrimination, racial discrimination against African-Americans that`s been in "The New York Times". Decades ago with "The New York Times".” PeopleNew YorkTrumpDecadesDiscriminationAfrican AmericanHousingNew York TimesLawsuitRacial Discrimination Author:Chris Hayes
“I meet almost no one that goes to an African-American church or thinks, "I'm going to do that." Now there are whites in African-American churches. They're interracially married. They're highly committed. Maybe there's a professor or two, or a student.” ThinkingTwoChurchStudentsMarriedCommittedAfrican AmericanProfessors Author:Michael Emerson
“Once in a while you get people that maybe because of economic reasons, or have a social network, they get attracted. But it's a very tiny percent so that when we look at, you know, who are pastors and who are the head clergy of these congregations, they're overwhelmingly white, just a few African Americans, and those folks are usually called to what were formerly white congregations, or they started interracial church from the get-go.” PeopleKnowsLooksReasonSocialChurchWhiteEconomicPercentFolksTinyAfrican AmericanPastorSocial NetworkCongregationClergy Author:Michael Emerson
“Every pastor I talk to says, and particularly if they're African American they'll say, "I'm not black enough for African Americans. I'm not white enough for the whites. I'm not Hispanic enough."” IfsEnoughBlackWhiteAfrican AmericanPastorHispanic Author:Michael Emerson
“It may be changing, but still it's the one place, that total control of an institution, that African Americans have. So sometimes, you know, you'll hear the statement of African Americans saying, "I have to work with whites.” KnowsMayStillsSometimesInstitutionsStatementsAfrican American Author:Michael Emerson
“What happens is sometimes these congregations will still have the white style of worship, even though they're mixed, because folks are willing to give up whatever they may have come with. So it's still quite a stretch for African Americans, yeah.” GivingMayStillsSometimesHappensWhiteStyleWillingGiving UpWorshipYeahFolksAfrican AmericanCongregation Author:Michael Emerson
“Humor is so culturally based that when I try to tell a joke as me being a white American, if I tell other white Americans, they'll laugh. If I tell an African American, they might not laugh. In fact, they either might not find it funny, or they might find it offensive, and I didn't mean it to be offensive. So these are the sort of little things that build up over time, just like in a marriage. You know, the little things can build up over time.” IfsKnowsTryingMeanLittlesFactsMightWhiteLaughingJokesAfrican AmericanLittle ThingsOffensive Author:Michael Emerson
“And different traditions stress different - so then there's that. I talked to an African American who says before she goes into an interracial church, she sits in her car and she listens to gospel music to get her fill, and she goes into an interracial church where they don't do gospel music, and she's ready to accept the other sorts of ways of worshipping. So there's that.” WayDifferentChurchAcceptingCarReadyTraditionStressAfrican AmericanGospel Music Author:Michael Emerson
“My own personal theory is that all popular music, in whatever form it is, to me, it all comes from Africa. Whether it's filtered through America or whatever - African-American. But I still think there's something in that roots music that's very, very African, and I think that's what unites people.” PeopleThinkingStillsAmericaFormMy OwnTheoryRootsAfrican AmericanPopular Music Author:Paul Weller
“Within the United States, there is a real division between the PhDs given in science and math to the Asian community, to the traditional white community, and then to African-Americans and Hispanics.” RealStatesGivenCommunityWhiteUnitedUnited StatesMathTraditionalAfrican AmericanDivisionAsianPhds Author:Juan Enriquez
“Until African-Americans and Hispanics can get serious, not just about area studies, which are important, but also about science and technology, they're not going to generate that wealth and that job within those communities. And that has absolutely devastating consequences for the places where people live, for the jobs and for the wealth.” PeopleImportantJobsCommunityWealthTechnologyStudySeriousConsequenceAreasAfrican AmericanScience And Technology Author:Juan Enriquez
“What I consider to be the barometer for what is a rock artist and what is not, is somebody who has a certain element of blues, even a hint of soul or blues music, derivative of African-American blues, folk, spiritual, or gospel.” SoulSpiritualArtistCertainRocksElementsFolksAfrican AmericanHintsDerivativesBarometerBlues Music Author:Ian Astbury
“I don't think every African-American or Latino have the same body type, but, yes, that's been one of the excuses ... saying that African-Americans are too muscular or just aren't lean enough. Usually they say, "Oh, they have flat feet so they just don't have the flexibility that it takes to create the line in a point shoe."” ThinkingEnoughBodyLinesFeetTypeShoesExcuseAfrican AmericanFlatsFlexibilityLatinoBody Types Author:Misty Copeland
“I think you had the GOP down there in North Carolina reaching out to African-American voters and this guy coming on television and using the N-word and saying what Don Yelton said.” ThinkingSaidGuyTelevisionAfrican AmericanReachingVotersReach OutThis GuyCarolinaNorth CarolinaGopAmerican Voters Author:Aasif Mandvi
“You always wonder whether the attacks on my capabilities came from an honest evaluation of my accomplishments or from stereotypical presumptions that we, people of color, just can't do it, for some reason. This is, for an accomplished Latino, an accomplished African American, an accomplished anyone who disproves stereotypes, it's a constant battle in your life.” PeopleReasonWonderHonestColorBattleConstantAfrican AmericanAccomplishmentAccomplishedCapabilityStereotypeLatinoPresumptionEvaluation Author:Sonia Sotomayor
“There still aren't enough[ roles for women of color]. And I'd say that's the case, not only for African-American women, but for all women in the Hollywood game. It's just slim pickings, and a very challenging time for us. I think that's why more of us need to work our way behind the camera in order to create roles that really illuminate who women are. We still have room for growth in that area, without a doubt.” ThinkingWayNeedsStillsEnoughOrderGamesGrowthChallengesRoomsBehindsRolesCasesDoubtColorAreasHollywoodCamerasAfrican AmericanSlimAmerican WomanAfrican American WomenChallenging Times Author:Jada Pinkett Smith
“I think Donald Trump is totally unfit to be president of the United States. Let's not forget, this guy was one of the leaders of the so-called birther movement, which was an effort to delegitimize the presidency of the first African-American president we have ever had.” ThinkingFirstsStatesGuyPresidentForgetUnitedEffortLeaderUnited StatesMovementTrumpAfrican AmericanPresidencyThis GuyAmerican President Author:Bernie Sanders
“I love "Phenomenal Woman." The experiences she had of being African American in the U.S. - that itself is a task. I appreciate the hardships Maya Angelou went through for our generation. I'm super influenced by the black people that paved the way for us.” PeopleWayBlackGenerationsAppreciateTasksAfrican AmericanHardshipBlack PeoplePhenomenalOur GenerationPhenomenal WomanAngelou Author:Serena Williams
“Everything African-Americans - every freedom they have obtained - came from Republicans, not Democrats. All the way back to the Emancipation Proclamation, to the Civil Rights movement. Civil Rights legislation was passed by a Republican Congress.” WayRightsMovementRepublicanDemocratCongressCivil RightsAfrican AmericanLegislationCivil Rights MovementEmancipationProclamationEmancipation Proclamation Author:Rafael Cruz
“If you recall when [John] Kennedy passed an edict, 'Every person you hire in the Post Office must be African American,' the challenge with that is if all of a sudden, you are hired just because of the color of your skin, ability has nothing to do with it.And if ability has nothing to do with it, what does it do? It promotes mediocrity.” IfsPersonsDoeChallengesAbilityColorOfficeSkinsAfrican AmericanPostsMediocrityRecallsPost OfficeJohn Kennedy Author:Rafael Cruz
“There's a sorry history of these kinds of charges of bias being leveled at women and judges of color, and also gay and lesbian judges. The theory being that they're going to be incapable of a disinterested judgment on matters that involve their own identity groups. And it came up famously for Constance Baker Motley who was one of the first African American federal judges in a case involving sex discrimination.” FirstsKindMatterSexCasesGroupsIdentityColorJudgingTheoryGayJudgmentSorryDiscriminationAfrican AmericanBiasIncapableInvolvingBakersDisinterestedFederal JudgesSex Discrimination Author:Deborah Rhode
“The tyranny of Harvard and Yale is another thing that transcends this problem of the set point. But what's so striking about [Louis] Brandeis is he had this vision of cultural pluralism that completely gave the lie to the idea that there was any inconsistency between being Jewish or being a woman or being African American and being fully American.” IdeasProblemLyingVisionTyrannyAfrican AmericanHarvardBeing A WomanYaleInconsistencyPluralismLouis Brandeis Author:Jeffrey Rosen
“Unlike [Woodrow] Wilson, Louis Brandeis did not support the segregation of the federal government. He was personally courteous to African Americans. He advised them and advised the head of Howard University to create a good law school. And that inspired Charles Hamilton Houston and Thurgood Marshall in their path-breaking work on behalf of desegregation.” GovernmentSchoolLawSupportPathInspiredUniversityAfrican AmericanFederal GovernmentBehalfSegregationWilsonLaw SchoolHoustonCourteousHamiltonLouis Brandeis Author:Jeffrey Rosen
“Louis Brandeis never had the opportunity - or he never sought the opportunity I should say - to work closely with African American lawyers. He was also a Southern Democrat, you know, at a time when both parties were supportive of segregation.” KnowsShouldOpportunityPartyDemocratLawyerAfrican AmericanSouthernSupportiveSegregationLouis Brandeis Author:Jeffrey Rosen
“It's unfortunate that [Louis] Brandeis was not able to translate or abstract his devotion to cultural pluralism and racial equality as he put it for Jews to enslave people and their descendants and to African Americans.” PeopleAbleJewDevotionAfrican AmericanAbstractTranslateUnfortunateDescendantsPluralismLouis BrandeisRacial Equality Author:Jeffrey Rosen
“I can't deny that it will be a historic event for an African-American to become president. And should that happen, all Americans should be proud - not just African-Americans, but all Americans - that we have reached this point in our national history where such a thing could happen. It will also not only electrify our country, I think it'll electrify the world.” ThinkingWorldShouldI CanCountryHappensPresidentEventsProudDenyOur CountryAfrican AmericanBe ProudHistoric Author:Colin Powell
“I think the most critical needs of the African-American communities aren't being addressed primarily because of decisions being made by Republican Congressional leaders.” ThinkingNeedsMadeCommunityDecisionLeaderRepublicanCriticalAfrican American Author:Melissa Harris-Perry
“I'd been listening to African-American music since the first record I ever bought, which was by Sam Cooke. And it sounds more like my private thoughts that I never thought I would be able to articulate - I never thought I would be able to express publicly.” FirstsWould BeAbleSoundRecordsListeningAfrican AmericanAmerican MusicSam CookeAfrican American Music Author:David Toop
“You know, Hillary Clinton's out there saying, we need smart diplomacy. We need to do smart power. And that means empathizing with our enemy, understanding their grievances, like we understand the grievances of homosexuals, like we understand the grievances of African-Americans. We must learn to understand the grievances of ISIS.” KnowsNeedsMeanUnderstandingEnemySmartClintonAfrican AmericanHomosexualDiplomacyIsisGrievance Author:Rush Limbaugh
“I'm also working on another independent film called Roxanne, Roxanne, about Roxanne Shante, who was one of the first African American battle rappers from Brooklyn. It is produced by Forest Whitaker and Pharrell [williams], so I'm really in great hands.” FirstsHandsFilmBattleIndependentForestsAfrican AmericanRapperBrooklynIndependent Film Author:Nia Long
“More is required of public officials than slogans and handshakes and press releases. More is required. We must hold ourselves strictly accountable. We must provide the people with a vision of the future.” PeopleInspirationalGovernmentVisionPoliticianFuturePressesLawyerReleaseAfrican AmericanOfficialsProvidingStrictBlack WomenSlogansCivil Rights MovementHandshakePublic OfficialsVisions Of The FuturePress Release Author:Barbara Jordan
“Do not call for black power or green power. Call for brain power.” InspirationalPoliticalBlackFreedomBrainLibertyGreenEqualityAfrican AmericanMemorableBlack HistoryBlack History MonthBlack History Month InspirationalBlack PowerAfrican American HistoryEquality Of PeopleEquality For AllBlack History InspirationalBrain PowerAfrican American LoveAfrican American History Month Author:Barbara Jordan
“I felt somehow for many years that George Washington and Alexander Hamilton just left me out by mistake. But through the process of amendment, interpretation, and court decision, I have finally been included in 'We, the people.'” PeopleYearsPoliticalPoliticsLeftFeltProcessBlackDecisionMistakeCourtAfrican AmericanInterpretationAmendmentsBlack HistoryBlack History MonthHamiltonAfrican American WomenBlack History Month InspirationalAfrican American HistoryCourt DecisionAfrican American LoveAfrican American History Month Author:Barbara Jordan