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Quotes from I Am a Man, a Black Man, an American — Clarence Thomas

born 1948 United States

← All quotes by Clarence Thomas

7 quotes

I come to state that I'm a man, free to think for myself and do as I please.

I Am a Man, a Black Man, an American (1998)

Though being underestimated has its advantages, the stench of racial inferiority still confounds my olfactory nerves.

I Am a Man, a Black Man, an American (1998)

I am a man, a black man, an American.

I Am a Man, a Black Man, an American (1998)

I agree with Ralph Ellison when he asked, perhaps rhetorically, why is it that so many of those who would tell us the meaning of Negro, of Negro life, never bothered to learn how varied it really is.

I Am a Man, a Black Man, an American (1998)

As has become the custom, a wearisome one I admit, this invitation has not been without controversy. Though this unfortunate, this controversy has added little value in the calculus of my decision to be here.

I Am a Man, a Black Man, an American (1998)

I will not cataloge my opinions to which there have been objections since they are a matter of public record. But I must note in passing that I can't help but wonder if some of my critics can read.

I Am a Man, a Black Man, an American (1998)

Ironically, many of the people who are critics today were among those we called half-steppers, who had co-opted by "the man" because they were part of the system that oppressed us. When the revolution came, all of the so-called Negroes needed to be dealt with.

I Am a Man, a Black Man, an American (1998)

Attribution

Quotes and notes from Wikiquote: Clarence Thomas (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0.