James McBride Quotes

I am an African-American in America. That will never change. But I don't have to be defined by that.

When you're a little kid, you don't see color, and the fact that my friends were black never crossed my mind. It never became an issue until I was a teenager and started trying to rap.

No one tells every white person in this country how to be. No one tells every Hispanic, or Asian or Jewish person in this country how to be. There is no single definition of whiteness or single definition of blackness.

When I was a kid in Ireland, there were not very many black people. I was very much like the strange brown thing, intriguing and cute. I didn't experience racism there. The first time I did was in London. It was that moment that you realize you're black. A kind of lifting of the veil.

We were in denial about the extent to which Britain had cured itself of the poison of racism.

What I remember about race relations in the 1990s is that you showed your awareness by saying you didn't see race, that you were colour-blind.

I think that society is aspiring towards racial indifference, but the reality of life is not that. And so when you meet someone, you can see their race - it's right there on their face - and I feel like it's interesting.

I don't like the term 'black film,' and I am proud to be black.

The problem with most liberals - myself included - is we tend to think we're post-racial: that we've got a handle on things because we're not racists.

Race? It is a feeling, not a reality. Ninety-five per cent, at least. Nothing will ever make me believe that biologically pure races can be shown to exist today.... National pride has no need of the delirium of race.

The United States is not a nation of black and white people. Any fool can see that white people are not really white, and that black people are not black.

I believe that we have to be so race-conscious in this day and age.

I used to get letters saying, 'I didn't know black children and white children were the same.'

Just call me black, if you want to call me anything.

Everyone knows I'm black. I am who I am. This is the person that Lester Sr. and June Holt raised, and I make no apology for it. At the same time, I'm never going to pull a race card to get what I want. You can't have it both ways.

My son don't have to say it loud, I'm black and I'm proud. He don't have to be called those crazy names.

I don't think because I hang out with enough black people, I'm gonna turn black. What kind of rationalization is that? I'm just friends with people that I like. I don't care what skin color you are.

I think the race situation is getting better as far as people respecting each other goes. I think the race situation with entertainment is not that much better.

On the one hand, there is no reason that a black person needs to live a portion of his or her life being concerned about the people of color around him. On the other hand, if you don't you're crazy.

The black situation has changed. They finally realized they're Americans.

You didn't know whether Chuck Berry was black or white - it was not a concern.

It's not a common thing for a Southern white family to go out and seek their black cousins.

I don't want a Black History Month. Black history is American history.

One must learn how to be black in America.

I've never been one to carry race on my sleeve, and I've never been one to really use my race.