Henry Louis Gates

“People are afraid, and when people are afraid, when their pie is shrinking, they look for somebody to hate. They look for somebody to blame. And a real leader speaks to anxiety and to fear a...”

“It's very lonely being a prominent black intellectual at an institution where you're the only prominent black intellectual. That was the model that was followed in the late 60s when black st...”

“Fortunately, in President Obama, the child of an African and an American, we finally have a leader who is uniquely positioned to bridge the great reparations divide.”

“If you share a common ancestor with somebody, you're related to them. It doesn't mean that you're going to invite them to the family reunion, but it means that you share DNA.”

“If you share a common ancestor with somebody, you're related to them. It doesn't mean that you're going to invite them to the family reunion, but it means that you share DNA. I think it's fa...”

“Because Lincoln is so closely identified with what it is to be American, everyone wants to claim him, to rewrite his story to satisfy their own particular needs.”

“I don't think the riots derailed the civil rights movement.”

“I knew that there were black people in Africa, of course, unfortunately because of movies such as 'Tarzan.'”

“Lincoln would love the fact that Obama is such a great conciliator, trying to transcend ideology.”

“Politicians will not put forth programs aimed at the problems of poor blacks while their turnout remains so low.”