365 Quotes About Race-relations

Maggie knew Betsy was a female crusader, but also knew that many times crusaders like her were only interested in their own personal equality.

In spite of good intentions, the net effect of Negro solidarity proved to be a tremendous obstacle to integration in Catholic life. A separatist organization was not in a very strategic position to protest against separatism.

The apostle of interracial justice among highly prejudiced fellow citizens resembles in many ways the missionary conversing with a foreign people bound by ancient tribal customs and taboos. Direct assault will not dislodge the fetishes. The idols will bow out only when people have become sufficiently enlightened to wish to remove them of themselves.

The disadvantages that afflict the members of a given racial group cannot be treated merely as the concern of the disadvantaged group alone: they can only be treated adequately and successfully by the joint action of all concerned.

Work for interracial justice is of its own nature interracial. It bespeaks the co-operation of both races, not in a merely formal, “token” fashion, but as a genuine and sincere co-operation, based upon real friendship and personal, day-by-day collaboration.

It is commonly observed how people can participate in impersonal situations where racial justice prevails, yet in other situations still hold the most unjust racial attitudes. It is almost impossible, however, to conceive of practising racial justice in the intimate institutions of home and neighborhood and at the same time harboring unjust racial attitudes.

There is a certain finality about integration in housing in relation to the whole race relations problem. Many believe that when integration in housing is common, the race-relations problem will have been dealt its death blow. From this point of view, housing has always been the central issue in race relations, the final acid test which race relations progress must meet.

Because whites are not socialized to see ourselves collectively, we don't see our group's history as relevant. Therefore, we expect people of color to trust us as soon as they meet us. We don't see ourselves as having to earn that trust.

The story emerging for me, however, tells a tale of black and brown people being held down so long that white folks have come to believe they got there on their own. The removal of legal barriers that once separated the races has done little to change the distorted belief system that lives on in the hearts and minds of millions of individuals. At this point, the only thing needed for racism to continue is for good people to do nothing.