America has the mightiest military on the planet, and they didn't get there with entertainers.

I never believed in Santa Claus because I knew no white dude would come into my neighborhood after dark.

Because you make me laugh don't make you a comic. A comedian is a person who, that's how they make their living.

The NAACP is a wonderful organization . . . But do you realize if tomorrow morning we had complete integration, all them cats would be outta work?

If I had to write down the most important people in the history of this planet, No.1 would be (abolitionist) John Brown. Why? Because he's a white man who said he would die for the cause, because they could take him, but they weren't going to take his grandchildren. That brother was beautiful.

Laughter is the best way to release tensions and fears.

One of the things I keep learning is that the secret of being happy is doing things for other people.