Mary J. Blige Quotes

You can't just say in one sentence what is blackness or what is black culture or what makes you who you are.

The history of the black man did not begin with slavery.

Black youth, in general, have no understanding of our past. Young black people who don't know who Martin Luther King Jr. was, don't know nothin'.

As Africans Americans we often think about the tragic stories associated with our lineage, but there are a lot of triumphs. Traveling helps you learn about other aspects of our history, like the story of Christ the Redeemer. It's empowering and inspiring.

My biggest inspiration is black America and what they've done in the arts. I have always felt like an outsider in America, and what black Americans have done to add their chapter to this book called the American dream, and to be so unapologetic and true, and have added so much to art and culture in the world.

All black art is always judged to illuminate our experience and prove that our stories and our history and our lives matter. And that goes back to Ralph Ellison, James Baldwin, Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston - take your pick.

I didn't learn black history in school. I had to go find Malcolm X books.

Black History Month is a poignant time for the entire country, but particularly the African American community.

There's no question that I'm African-American. OK? I'm a black man. We're not going to escape that.

In a typical history book, black Americans are mentioned in the context of slavery or civil rights. There's so much more to the story.

I am proud of my black roots and of the black blood that runs in my veins.

My composition often goes toward the black middle class or the black super-wealthy or strong historical black figures.

I think all in all, one thing a lot of plays seem to be saying is that we need to, as black Americans, to make a connection with our past in order to determine the kind of future we're going to have. In other words, we simply need to know who we are in relation to our historical presence in America.

African Americans are one of the oldest ethnic groups in this country. We been here since the beginning. Before the beginning.

We must canonize our own saints, create our own martyrs … black men and women who have made their distinct contributions to our racial history.

It is my hope that as we commemorate Black History Month in the future, we will continue to celebrate the many achievements and rich culture of African-Americans.

Let not the 12 million Negroes be ashamed of the fact that they are the grandchildren of slaves. There is dishonor in being slave-owners.

Black history is American history.

Lift Every Voice and Sing

Blacks in America want to forget about slavery - the stigma, the shame. If you can't be who you are, who can you be? How can you know what to do? We have our history. We have our book, and that is the blues.

I wanted to explore black culture, and I wanted that culture to be a revelation.

I'm more black than I am white. That's the accurate answer from my truth.

I love being black.

I'm especially honored that The Black Gents will debut Off-Broadway and pay tribute to The Tuskegee Airmen and other ancestors of that time who have embodied excellence, self-determination, and self-discipline.

To me, Harlem is one of the most important places on the earth, particularly when it comes to talking about African Americans.