African American Quotes - Page 20

• I believe in individuality, that everybody is special, and it's up to them to find that quality and let it live.

  Grace Jones

  Believe, Inspiration, Individuality

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• African American Congressman Bobby Rush wore a hoodie on the floor of Congress to make a point this week. And they threw him out. They said a hoodie is too scary for Congress. Too scary? Have you ever looked into Michele Bachmann's eyes?

  Bill Maher

  Eye, Scary, Week

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• I don't see how any African-American, with any inkling of history, can say that you don't have the right to live your life how you want to live your life. No one should be telling you who you should love, no one should be telling you who you should be spending the rest of your life with. When we start talking about equality, and everybody being treated equally, I don't want to know an African-American who will say everybody doesn't deserve equality.

  Michael Irvin

  Talking, Live Your Life, Want

  "Michael Irvin: The Playmaker Preaches" by Cyd Zeigler, www.out.com. July 11, 2011.

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• More people are on food stamps today because of Obamas policies than ever in history. I would like to be the best paycheck president in American history. ... And so Im prepared if the NAACP invites me, Ill go to their convention and talk about why the African-American community should demand paychecks and not be satisfied with food stamps.

  Newt Gingrich

  People, Community, President

  "What Newt said about food stamps" by Dylan Byers, www.politico.com. January 6, 2012.

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• I will go to the NAACP convention, and explain to the African-American community why they should demand paychecks instead of food stamps.

  Newt Gingrich

  Community, Demand, Food Stamps

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• I wanted to show that an African-American artist could make it in this country on a national level in the graphic arts. I want to be a strong role model for my family and for other African Americans.

  Jerry Pinkney

  Country, Art, Strong

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• In the Shadow of Slavery covers two and a half centuries of black life in New York City, and skillfully interweaves the categories of race and class as they affected the formation of African American identity. Leslie Harris has made a major contribution to our understanding of the black experience.

  Eric Foner

  New York, Race, Class

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• Recent events in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina have reaffirmed for me, however, the complete folly of any Republican strategy to increase black representation in the Republican Party by appeals based on race. Whatever the name- 'African American Outreach' or 'Black Republicans for Bush'- any effort to attract blacks or any other ethnic group to the Republican party, based on explicit or implicit appeals to race or ethnic identity, are not only a waste of time and resources, but are also misguided and potentially quite damaging to the nation.

  Ward Connerly

  Party, Names, Race

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• The Tea Party is protecting its millionaire and oil company friends while gutting critical services that they know protect the livelihood of African-Americans, as well as Latinos and other disadvantaged minorities.

  Andre Carson

  Party, Oil, Tea

  "Democratic Rep: Tea Party Would Love To See Black People ‘Hanging On A Tree’" By Jennifer Bendery, www.huffingtonpost.com. August 30, 2011.

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• When will we address the fact that rich, white people think they know what's in the best interest of children of African-Americans and Latinos - no matter what the parent's income or education level.

  Karen Lewis

  Children, Thinking, White

  "Lewis Points Finger At ‘Rich White People’ For School Problems". chicago.cbslocal.com. June 19, 2013.

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• All the books that were being published by African-American guys were saying 'screw whitey', or some variation of that. Not the scholars but the pop books. And the other thing they said was, 'You have to confront the oppressor.' I understand that. But you don't have to look at the world through his eyes. I'm not a stereotype; I'm not somebody else's version of who I am. And so when people said at that time black is beautiful – yeah? Of course. Who said it wasn't? So I was trying to say, in The Bluest Eye, wait a minute. Guys. There was a time when black wasn't beautiful. And you hurt.

  Toni Morrison

  Beautiful, Hurt, Book

  "Toni Morrison: 'I want to feel what I feel. Even if it's not happiness'". Interview With Emma Brockes, www.theguardian.com. April 13, 2012.

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• Justice is not cheap. Justice is not quick. It is not ever finally achieved.

  Marian Wright Edelman

  Justice

  Marian Wright Edelman (1987). “Families in Peril: An Agenda for Social Change”, p.107, Harvard University Press

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• I have been guilty of watching Westerns without acknowledging that Native Americans have gone through the same madness as African Americans. Isn't it extraordinary that sometimes the most offended have not seen others being offended?

  Judith Jamison

  Native American, Gone, Madness

  Judith Jamison (1993). “Dancing Spirit: An Autobiography”, Doubleday Books

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• Take that bone out of your nose and call me back (to an African American female caller).

  Rush Limbaugh

  Noses, Female, Bones

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• Differences can be a strength.

  Condoleezza Rice

  Differences

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• Acting means living, it's all I do.

  Morgan Freeman

  Mean, Acting

  "Morgan Freeman: 10 things you need to know about the Oscar-nominated actor". www.mirror.co.uk. February 18, 2010.

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• Powerful people never educate powerless people in what they need that they can use to take the power away from powerful people; it's too much to expect. If I was in power, I would not educate people in how to take my powers away.

  Dr. John

  Powerful, People, Needs

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• How did the party that elected the first black U.S. senator, the party that elected the first 20 African-American congressmen, how did that party become a party that now loses 95 percent of the black vote?

  Rand Paul

  Party, Rights, Race

  "Sen. Rand Paul Tries To Repair GOP's Image With Minorities". "Morning Edition" with David Greene, www.npr.org. April 11, 2013.

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• Obama a ‘light-skinned’ African-American ‘with no Negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one.

  Harry Reid

  Country, Light, Racism

  "Harry Reid’s Non-Gaffe" by Kevin Drum, www.motherjones.com. January 10, 2010.

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• The whites were really brutishly ignorant, blitheringly, so they killed people sometimes - just came into the African-American community and maimed people because they didn't agree with God's choice for the colors of the people's skin.

  Maya Angelou

  Color, Racism, People

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• [According to Twitter] 24 percent of American Twitter users are African-American. That's about twice as high as African-Americans are represented in the population.

  Ethan Zuckerman

  Technology, Population, Internet

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• Black History is enjoying the life of our ancestors who paved the way for every African-American. No matter what color you are, the history of Blacks affected everyone; that's why we should cherish and respect Black history. Black history changed America and is continuing to change and shape our country. Black history is about everyone coming together to better themselves and America. Black history is being comfortable in your own skin no matter what color you are. Black history makes me proud of where I came from and where I am going in life.

  Bernice Mosby

  Country, America, Color

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• People had their image of what a cowboy was, ... A lot of it was perpetuated by the media presentations of the cowboys in fiction and old Westerns. And because of the tenure of the times, African-Americans were left out. As a result, reality was distorted.

  Philip Roberts

  Reality, Cowboy, Media

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• Really, the potential for, first of all, any college graduate today is enormously good. These are good times for anyone with a college degree today, particularly African Americans. With a college degree today, you really breach the unemployment rate.

  Alexis Herman

  Inspirational, Funny, Graduation

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• There's good reason to be excited. You have the first woman running who is qualified, and a very attractive African-American who has demonstrated crossover appeal. I got involved in politics 40 years ago during the civil rights movement, so yes, it's an exciting thing.

  Joe Biden

  Running, Rights, Years

  "Biden officially running for president". MSNBC.com, January 31, 2007.

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