Lorraine Hansberry Quotes

The things he taught me were great things: that all racism was rotten, white or black, that everything is political;
that people tend to be indescribably beautiful and uproariously funny. He also taught me that they have enemies who are grotesque and that freedom lies in the recognition of all of that and other things.

The Murchisons are honest-to-God-real-foe-rich colored people, and the only people in the world who are more snobbish than rich white people are rich colored people. I though everybody knew that.

DEKOVEN Mr. Morris, colonial subjects die mainly from a way of life. The incidentals — gangrene, tumors, stillborn babies — are only that: incidentals. Our work — (He interlocks his fingers) — reinforces the way of life. But when you come with a faith, an ideal of service, it is impossible to believe that. It was, at first, for me. But I saw my first delegations my first year here.

TSHEMBE Maybe that’s what’s botched up all the revolutions so far! (Erupting in spite of himself) Mr. Morris, your concern for nonviolence is a little late, don’t you think? Where were you when we protested without violence and against violence? We did not hear from you then! Where were you when they were chopping off the right hands of our young men by the hundreds — by the tribe?

The poets have been right in all these centuries, darling; even in its astounding imperfection this earth of ours is magnificent. But oh this human race!

"In my mother's house there is still God."
Act 1, Scene 1 ~ A Raisin in the Sun

In the twentieth century men everywhere like to breathe; and the Negro citizen still cannot, you see, breathe.

TSHEMBE I do not recall that the Europeans have ever been exactly overwhelmed by morality — black or white! Or do you think they have suddenly become impressed because Kumalo is saying the black man wishes freedom? We have been saying that for generations. They only listen now because they are forced to. Take away the violence and who will hear the man of peace? (He sits on the box, an island in a sea of cloth) It is the way of the world, hadn’t you noticed?

CHARLIE Have you ever wondered — I am being devil’s advocate now — if just possibly he hadn’t “capitalized,” so to speak, on the backwardness he found here? MARTA (Tightly) Mr. Morris, I am not a very complicated person. I believe that people are what they do. You may think it simple-minded of me if you like — but if you don’t understand the depth of his sacrifice merely by being here —

I am a writer. I suppose I think that the highest gift that man has is art, and I am audacious enough to think of myself as an artist - that there is both joy and beauty and illumination and communion between people to be achieved through the dissection of personality

Eventually it comes to you: the thing that makes you exceptional, if you are at all, is inevitably that which must also make you lonely.

There is always something left to love. And if you ain't learned that, you ain't learned nothing. Have you cried for that boy today? I don't mean for yourself and for the family 'cause we lost the money. I mean for him; what he's been through and what it done to him. Child, when do you think is the time to love somebody the most; when they done good and made things easy for everybody? Well then, you ain't through learning — because that ain't the time at all. It's when he's at his lowest and can't believe in hisself 'cause the world done whipped him so. When you starts measuring somebody, measure him right child, measure him right. Make sure you done taken into account what hills and valleys he come through before he got to wherever he is.

Don't get up. Just sit a while and think. Never be afraid to sit a while and think.

Children see things very well sometimes — and idealists even better.

I look at you and I see the final triumph of stupidity in the world!