There is little place in the political scheme of things for an independent, creative personality, for a fighter. Anyone who takes that role must pay a price.

I had met far more discrimination because I am a woman than because I am black.

Our representative democracy is not working because the Congress that is supposed to represent the voters does not respond to their needs. I believe the chief reason for this is that it is ruled by a small group of old men.

Tremendous amounts of talent are lost to our society just because that talent wears a skirt.

I was the first American citizen to be elected to Congress in spite of the double drawbacks of being female and having skin darkened by melanin. When you put it that way, it sounds like a foolish reason for fame. In a just and free society it would be foolish. That I am a national figure because I was the first person in 192 years to be at once a congressman, black and a woman proves, I think, that our society is not yet either just or free.

As there were no black Founding Fathers, there were no founding mothers - a great pity, on both counts.

I have never cared too much what people say. What I am interested in is what they do.