In this country American means white. Everybody else has to hyphenate.

Quote by Toni Morrison

Topics: Toni Morrison Quotes

The unflattering reviews are painful for short periods of time; the badly written ones are...

The unflattering reviews are painful for short periods of time; the badly written ones are...

Schools must stop being holding pens to keep energetic young people off the job market...

Schools must stop being holding pens to keep energetic young people off the job market...

If you're going to hold someone down you're going to have to hold on by...

If you're going to hold someone down you're going to have to hold on by...

Everywhere, everywhere, children are the scorned people of the earth.

Everywhere, everywhere, children are the scorned people of the earth.

Too much tail. All that jewelry weighs it down. Like vanity. Can't nobody fly with...

Too much tail. All that jewelry weighs it down. Like vanity. Can't nobody fly with...

Make a difference about something other than yourselves.

Make a difference about something other than yourselves.

Black people are victims of an enormous amount of violence. None of those things can...

Black people are victims of an enormous amount of violence. None of those things can...

Beloved, you are my sister, you are my daughter, you are my face; you are...

Beloved, you are my sister, you are my daughter, you are my face; you are...

If there's a book you really want to read but it hasn't been written yet,...

If there's a book you really want to read but it hasn't been written yet,...

I remember a very important lesson that my father gave me when I was twelve...

I remember a very important lesson that my father gave me when I was twelve...

I don't think anybody cares about unwed mothers unless they're black or poor. The question...

I don't think anybody cares about unwed mothers unless they're black or poor. The question...

I always looked upon the acts of racist exclusion, or insult, as pitiable, from the...

I always looked upon the acts of racist exclusion, or insult, as pitiable, from the...

When there is pain, there are no words. All pain is the same.

When there is pain, there are no words. All pain is the same.

If there is a book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written...

If there is a book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written...

All water has a perfect memory and is forever trying to get back to where...

All water has a perfect memory and is forever trying to get back to where...

There is nothing of any consequence in education, in the economy, in city planning, in...

There is nothing of any consequence in education, in the economy, in city planning, in...

If there's a book you really want to read but it hasn't been written yet,...

If there's a book you really want to read but it hasn't been written yet,...

I wrote my first novel because I wanted to read it.

I wrote my first novel because I wanted to read it.

Everything I've ever done, in the writing world, has been to expand articulation, rather than...

Everything I've ever done, in the writing world, has been to expand articulation, rather than...

Freeing yourself was one thing; claiming ownership of that freed self was another.

Freeing yourself was one thing; claiming ownership of that freed self was another.