I had my schooling right there in the Cotton Club.

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.

The naked female body is treated so weirdly in society. It's like people are constantly begging to see it, but once they do, someone's a hoe.

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

I had my schooling right there in the Cotton Club.

You have to be taught to be second class; you're not born that way.

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