If you don't stand for something you will fall for anything.

Adam Clayton Powell's entire political career has to be looked at in the entire context of the American history and the history of, and the position of the Afro- American or negro in American history. [He] has done a remarkable job in fighting for rights of black people in this country. On the other hand, he probably hasn't done as much as he could or as much as he should because he is the most independent negro politician in this country.

Among Negroes we have Negroes who are as white as some white people. Still there's a difference.

To me, the thing that is worse than death is betrayal. You see, I could conceive death, but I could not conceive betrayal.

Essien Udom is a Nigerian. At present he's a professor at Ibadan University.

If I did see a white man who was willing to go to jail or throw himself in front of a car in behalf of the so-called "negro cause," the test that I'd put to him, I'd ask him, "Do you think negro, when Negroes are being attacked they should defend themselves even at the risk of having to kill the one who's attacking them?" If that white man told me, "Yes," I'd shake his hand.

The white race is doomed not because it's white but because of its misdeeds.