Revolutionary Black Liberation Leader in the U.S.
1925-1965
We’re trying to be human beings, and we want to be recognized and accepted as human beings. But we don’t think humanity will recognize us or accept us as such until humanity knows that we will do everything to protect our human ranks, as others will do for theirs...
I believe in recognizing every human being as a human being, neither white, black, brown nor red. When you are dealing with humanity as one family, there’s no question of integration or intermarriage. It’s just one human being marrying another human being, or one human being living around and with another human being. I may say, though, that I don’t think the burden to defend any such position should ever be put upon the black man. Because it is the white man collectively who has shown that he is hostile towards integration and towards intermarriage and towards these other strides towards oneness. So, as a black man, and especially as a black American, I don’t think that I would have to defend any stand that I formerly took. Because it’s still a reaction of the society and it’s a reaction that was produced by the white society. And I think that it is the society that produced this that should be attacked, not the reaction that develops among the people who are the victims of that negative society... I believe in a society in which people can live like human beings on the basis of equality.
Excerpt from Interview with Pierre Berton – January 19, 1965
