Actress

The white actresses I have known have been allowed to do 10 times more than I shall ever do.

I'd come from a background in New York of picketing and protesting.

We women have a great function to perform. The world needs us.

You should always be prepared to win. But as much as I tell myself that, I've accepted another kind of role. Racism undercuts expectation, something like that. I'm not saying that to excuse myself from anything, but I've lived all this time, and things don't happen.

I learned that having great sensitivity is important. But being strong is just as important.

A nation's youths shouldn't be sent off to die.

OK, boss, I don't mind shuffling, but I won't scratch my head.

We don't realize how much racism has tainted our self-image as human beings.

You hear people say, 'We take our Tennessee Williams very seriously. There is no laughter here.' It's full of humor! Not to laugh is a big, bad mistake!

I do remember the numbers runners, I do remember the poverty and bread lines. Harlem stays with you forever.

It's getting increasingly difficult to be a dreamer under any circumstances.

Well, I didn't grow up with that word 'retirement' as part of my consciousness. I didn't grow up with professionals that retired. I thought retiring was when you are tired and go to bed.

Marriage is really an exciting adventure.

My whole life is not defined by what Hollywood does.

I don't know who I would be if I weren't this child from Harlem, this woman from Harlem. It's in me so deep.

Before I latched onto the concept of stereotypes, not once did I reckon with the fact that I would never be a 'Hollywood starlet.'

When I was young, I dreamt of being a starlet in Hollywood. But there comes a point in every African American's life when you realize the limitations, that you could only play maids or some little supporting role. Even Lena Horne couldn't get good parts.

My constant battle is putting aside time wasters, and I have to watch out for procrastination. Staying on the path of something you're trying to create has much to do with having confidence in yourself and in your capacity to realize the things you want out of life.

You can only appreciate freedom when you find yourself in a position to fight for someone else's freedom and not worry about your own.

Gangsters lived in the neighborhood. They weren't apart from it. Their relationships with people were both benevolent and scary.