Thurgood Marshall Quotes

The only reason race matters is because of racism.

Protesting the color of a man's skin is not a worthy protest.

For black politicians, civil rights organizations and white liberals to support the racist practices of the University of Michigan amounts to no less than a gross betrayal of the civil rights principles of our historic struggle from slavery to the final guarantee of constitutional rights to all Americans. Indeed, it was practices like those of the University of Michigan, but against blacks, that were the focal point of much of the civil rights movement.

Here's the thing. When we talk about race relations in America or racial progress, it's all nonsense. There are no race relations. White people were crazy. Now they're not as crazy. To say that black people have made progress would be to say they deserve what happened to them before.

This is the United States of America and unfortunately, race still matters to a lot of people. The evil head of racism doesn't hide, it sticks its head up.

It's not easy to be a martyr in the field of race relations.

How long is this endless groveling before every cry of 'racism' going to continue before the whole country collectively throws up?

If a Negro got legs he ought to use them. Sit down too long, somebody will figure out a way to tie them up.

The international community cannot accept that whole communities are marginalized because of the color of their skin. People of African descent are among those most affected by racism. Too often, they face denial of basic rights such as access to quality health services and education. Such fundamental wrongs have a long and terrible history.

Labels applied to people of any race are inherently offensive.

The patterns have become unmistakable and undeniable. ... We have to come to terms with some hard truths about race and justice in America.

There are still horrible things that go on because of the myth of race, but we don't have to succumb totally.

I'm so old that I can remember when most of the people promoting race hate were white.

Telling me that I’m obsessed with talking about racism in America is like telling me I’m obsessed with swimming when I’m drowning.

I always tell young people in particular: Do not say that nothing's changed when it comes to race in America, unless you lived through being a black man in the 1950s or '60s or '70s.

Some negroes lie, some are immoral, some negro men are not be trusted around women - black and white. But this is a truth that applies to the human race and to no particular race of men.

Under the color-blind ideology of the new racism, Blackness must be SEEN as evidence for the alleged color blindness that seemingly characterizes contemporary economic opportunity.

We live in a racist world. Everywhere there is racism. We say to White people, "You really have to examine how you behave in the world. You are responsible for deconstructing internalized racism and being part of a ongoing process of decolonizing yourself.

Now, personally, I am baffled by the concept of racial prejudice. Why hate someone based on the color of their skin when, if you take the time to get to know them as a human being, you can find so many other things to hate them for?

I am not an American; I am one of twenty-two million black people who are victims of Americanism.

It’s no disgrace to be black, but it’s often very inconvenient.

Liberals see racism where it doesn't exist, fabricate it when they can't find it and ignore it within their own ranks.

There is no negro problem. The problem is whether the American people have loyalty enough, honor enough, patriotism enough, to live up to their own constitution