There're two people in the world that are not likeable: a master and a slave.

I try to impress upon my students the importance of looking, listening... paying attention, in other words. You must pay attention.

Schools should serve breakfast, lunch and an afternoon snack. No sugared drinks, no fast type food.

I used to go up to her house. She lived upstate [in New York] and I lived in Manhattan; you're living in a lot of noise and my career was being built. For me to spend time with Nina [Simone] is to spend a lot of quiet time.

Once you know who you are, you don't have to worry anymore.

Style has a profound meaning to Black Americans. If we can’t drive, we will invent walks and the world will envy the dexterity of our feet. If we can’t have ham, we will boil chitterlings; if we are given rotten peaches, we will make cobblers; if given scraps, we will make quilts; take away our drums, and we will clap our hands. We prove the human spirit will prevail. We will take what we have to make what we need. We need confidence in our knowledge of who we are.

If culture was a railroad, I can see the tracks running from the Spirituals to the Hip Hop Nation.