A spine to my films that's become more evident to me is that many are about the choices people make, and the reverberations of those choices. You go this way, or that way, and either way, there's going to be consequences.

I didn't dream about being a director. I didn't know I wanted to do something with film until the summer between my sophomore and junior years at Morris College in Atlanta, Georgia.

As a people we do not need anyone else's stamp of approval.

One of the great things about African-Americans is that we've always had this attitude: We make do with what we got. It comes from our ancestors being slaves.

Stick around long enough, you'll get some grace.

'Do the Right Thing' was like the first film where I really felt comfortable working with actors.

I respect the audience's intelligence a lot, and that's why I don't try to go for the lowest common denominator.