Don't be afraid to feel as angry or as loving as you can, because when you feel nothing, it's just death.

Always be smarter than the people who hire you.

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

After I got over the terrible pain of having something of mine taken from me, I began to think how bad everybody else must be feeling. It wasn't a nice time.

Every color I can think of and nationality, we were all touched by Dr. King because he made us like each other and respect each other.

Malcolm X raised my consciousness about myself and my people and other people more than any person I know. I knew him before he became Malcolm X.

I've seen so much. And I've heard so many great performers. There are performers now that couldn't work back in the days when I came along.