I have resisted the term sociolinguistics for many years, since it implies that there can be a successful linguistic theory or practice which is not social.
William LabovIt appears that the present-day form of African American English is not the inheritance of the period of slavery, but the creation of the second half of the 20th century.
William LabovAn important aspect of the current situation is the strong social reaction against suggestions that the home language of African American children be used in the first steps of learning to read and write.
William Labov