You can get away with anything as long as it works.

What happened after World War I was disgraceful. Most veterans, like my great-uncle, were squashed back into place. Congress couldn't pass an anti-lynching bill. The World War II generation, though, wasn't going to take it.

I can see criticizing, complaining, protesting - anything but choosing not to vote. Too many people died for us not to vote.

Home is the place where there is somebody who does not wish you any pain.

Economic justice is not just something blacks are crying out for; whites are desperate for it, too. But in the public imagination, the face of poverty is black. In all actuality, the face of poverty is white.

In the 19th century, Berlin was called the German Chicago. Or Chicago was called the American Berlin because they were sort of new cities or new powerhouses.

Europe was a very contentious subject in literature and yet jazz musicians still depended on Europe. Now it's not such a big deal.