In my early days I was a sepia Hedy Lamarr. Now I'm black and a woman, singing my own way.

I had my schooling right there in the Cotton Club.

I'm me, and I'm like nobody else.

You have to be taught to be second class; you're not born that way. But the slanting process is so subtle that you frequently don't realize how you're being slanted until very late in the game.

The best thing about living... Is the chance to keep on doing it!

Nobody black or white who really believes in democracy can stand aside now; everybody's got to stand up and be counted.

It's ill-becoming for an old broad to sing about how bad she wants it. But occasionally we do.