Book Cover "And don't call me a racist!" A treasury of quotes on the past, present, and future of the color line in America / Selected and arranged by Ella Mazel
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About the book

Introduction

Table of contents

A selection of quotes

What people have said about the book

How people are using the book

FAQs

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Comments on
of "And don't call me a racist!"

Important note: The listed affiliations of the following individuals reflect their positions at the time they wrote the letters being quoted.
Educational institutions
Universities

"This is a book everyone should read who is genuinely interested in making a change in the way they live and view people and things -- a fabulous piece of work, very powerful."

"Thanks for all you are doing to bring about change in the world. It starts with individuals."
"The gift you have given readers is beyond imagination. Using your book, we have achieved two of our goals -- for students to feel the pain of those who have suffered, and also to acknowledge that many people see great hope for the future of race relations."
"This collection of quotes and insights is simply fantastic! The incredible range of thoughts and depth of understanding and feeling are sure to make a huge difference in the thinking of many people across lines of age and ethnicity. Every American should read it and, at the very least, individually reflect on how racism exists covertly and overtly in our own actions and words."
"You are not only educating young minds, but also educating 'old' ones. Thank you for seeing the need and then filling it!"
"As a Southern white woman who takes seriously the possibility of eliminating racism in my lifetime, I found the quotes in your book absolutely perfect."
"I find the book intriguing and a real asset to me in both a personal and professional manner. Thank you for the courage to assemble such a meaningful collection!"

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Teacher education

"Your book is not only wonderful but extremely timely and useful. I use it as required reading in some of the courses I teach."

"I teach in the School of Education at the University, so I teach Teachers! I know they will want to share this book at their individual school districts."
  • Teresa G. Laird, Ed.D.
  • University of Houston Clear Lake, TX
"I anticipate that this book will make a great contribution to two of my current courses: one is for doctoral students in cultural and social foundations of education; the other, for students preparing to be secondary teachers. Thank you so much for doing this work."
  • Carolyn Panofsky, Department of Educational Studies
  • Rhode Island College, Providence RI
"We are indebted to you for your contribution to society through this book. It is a valuable reference to be used over and over again."
  • Art Terrazas, Professor, Developmental Education
  • Aims Community College, Greeley CO

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Social work education

"I sincerely thank you for your effort in writing this very poignant and relevant book for those of us committed to social change."

"In preparing my syllabus, I would like to include your book as mandatory reading, with our goal of dismantling racism in our society through education, communication, and understanding."
  • Pamela Higgins-Saulsberry, Social Work Program
  • University of Louisiana, Monroe LA
"Thank you for this wonderful, useful, and eye-opening masterpiece. I have witnessed the eyes of people literally light up as they read it!"
  • Shelley A. Wyckoff, Chair, Social Work Department
  • Alabama A&M University, Normal AL

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Schools

"I'm a teacher of the gifted and of Students Achieving Social Harmony (S.A.S.H.), a leadership group focusing on diversity. I plan to incorporate your book into my curriculum to provide insight into such an important issue in our society."

"My students and I sincerely appreciate this magnificent book of profound quotations. It is so well organized and historical."
  • Constance Jackson
  • Communication and Media Arts High School, Detroit MI
"When so many Americans deny that race is still an issue, you have presented unequivocal evidence that the wretchedness, exhilaration and confusion of race relations is never far from the minds of most people."
  • Virginia Newton
  • Logan Fontenelle Middle School, Bellevue NE
"Your book has been a tremendous reference for me as an educator. Now that I have left the classroom and moved into administration, I would like to have my teaching staff utilize it to begin conversations that we should be having."
  • Stephen Ralston, Assistant Principal
  • Jonas Clarke Middle School, Lexington MA
"Thank you for your dedication to racial healing, open-mindedness, and peace. I will be using the book in my classroom and to give to other teachers in our school."
  • Nefertari Buntin
  • A. L. Holmes Elementary School, Detroit MI
"After 26 years in a middle-sized urban school system, I am now working in a predominantly white climate where one of the goals is an appreciation of diversity of all kinds. Your book will be invaluable as a resource for holding conversations with students, staff, and parents regarding the racism that continues to exist in America."
  • Christie Enstrom-West, Principal
  • Mattawan Later Elementary School, MI
"Our multicultural inservice went very well, and the feedback on your book has been terrific. I hope that your vision will live on as the teachers share it with their students."
  • Jeff Gilbertson, Principal
  • Stolley Park / Seedling Mile Elementary Schools, Grand Island NE
"I love the quotes, and my teachers would like to use them to help with diversity."
  • Rob Lugo, Dean of Student Services
  • Brookview Elementary School, Indianapolis IN
"Sharing the book with others is my way of passing the torch on."
  • Cassandra Crawford
  • La Tijera K-8 School, Inglewood CA

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Consultants

"Thank you for the incredible efforts you put into creating a document for all of us to learn from. Clearly you have made a difference."

"What a rich and important source of history as we attempt to heal and build communities increasingly willing to engage the 'other' in meaningful dialogue."
  • Carol Thomas
  • Therapeutic Education Consultant, Hobart OK

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Multiculturalism / Race Relations / Affirmative Action / African-American Studies

"Let me personally say how exceptional I believe this work to be and how enthused I am to make it available to others who have not yet discovered it."
"I simply could not put the book down. It is a treasure trove -- to last a lifetime -- of the tragedies, triumphs and trivialities regarding this thing we call race."
"Thanks for such an inspiring work of labor and love. We will be distributing the book at our Annual Membership Meeting."
"Thanks for your hard work in putting together this volume of quotations and insights. I have hopes of making this amazing resource a part of the first-year core curriculum."

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Children, youth, and families

"After reading just one page of your book, we were convinced that this would be a great tool in the hands of all our therapists, who serve children and adolescents."
"In our after-school mentoring and tutoring program for homeless children from fifth to eighth grade, I plan on using your book to develop interdisciplinary lessons and activities suited to the needs of each child. Thank you for providing the forum for socially conscious educators to make a difference in today's youth by enriching their lives both developmentally and academically."
"What a contribution! It flames the light instead of cursing the darkness."
"This book is a great tool to help people learn about, understand, and battle the ongoing racism in our society. Thank you for your dedication to this cause."

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Community organizations

"Thank you so much for this informative and uplifting book, dedicated to the understanding and healing of the gaping wounds that racism has inflicted upon America."
"I commend you on a wonderfully compiled set of quotes that articulates beautifully what so many of us struggle to express."
"Your book opens one's eyes and heart. It will be like a rock in a pond, sending out ripples of knowledge that will make our world a better place for all to grow and thrive."
"This wonderful resource inspires much-needed personal reflection and dialogue. We are giving copies to our new class of AmeriCorps members."
"Every effort to open hearts and minds to the treasure of diversity in our world is welcomed. Your book provides a wonderful, thought-provoking resource for use in our conversation about racism and non-discrimination."
"Your book has been a tremendous asset to our ongoing discussions of racism and race relations, dedicated to educating and empowering the African-American community."
"We consider this material very valuable in addressing the growing AIDS epidemic in our community through our outreach, after-school programming, and Rites of Passage curricula."
"Your book inspires us to work day-by-day at living our mission, by taking the time to confront the racism that pops up when we least expect it. When we need a beacon, we turn to the book and find someone whose uplifting words light our way."

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Religious institutions

"Thank you for such a wonderful and relevant piece of work. I look forward to using the quotes as the Institute does training to eradicate racism throughout Southwestern Pennsylvania."
"Your invaluable contribution to our recent series on healing racism helped us to dialogue with honesty and humor and a sense of safety."
"This is a marvelous book which should be shared by everybody in the fight for racial justice. We owe you a debt of thanks for compiling it."
"With its insightful choice of stirring and revealing quotations, this most valuable contribution to racial/social justice presents the historical African-American experience with profound urgency."

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Government agencies / Commissions

"The collection -- which incorporates so many voices into the conversation -- portrays a clear, powerful, and compelling picture of racism in the U.S. today."
"This meaningful text gives us permission to talk about racism in the United States."
"Thank you for caring enough about Black folks to create the book and to share it with others so that our children and grandchildren can live in a better world."
"It has been a great pleasure to read and reread your book. What a gift you have chosen to share with so many of us who care deeply about issues of race and of civil and human rights in America. What an affirmation of needed and very impor-tant work!"

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Miscellaneous

"My wish is that this book COULD be in the hands of every person in America."
"What a great job you have done of bringing together the thoughts of some of our smartest and bravest heroes and heroines. Your making this available to us for use in the schools is an incredibly useful contribution to the education of school children all over the country on the important issue of racism -- and to the educators as well."
"We are truly excited about your marvelous compilation of expressions regarding the ever-troubling subject of racism. We will be distributing the book to members attending our National Conclave."
"I am eager to make your book available to everyone who attends my trainings for juvenile service providers. Soon, I hope, ALL of Minnesota will have this yellow gem of a book on their desks and on their nightstands."
"Using tennis as a hook to teach important life skills, our goal is to introduce this sport to as many youth as possible, especially those who might not ordinarily have the opportunity to participate. We appreciate being able to incorporate your wonderful book into the training and orientation of our instructors."
"The book is heart-wrenching in that it captures all the pain and degradation humans can inflict on others who may be different from them. Along with other books that document the battle just to survive -- like Eyes on the Prize and Schindler's List -- this should be taught in the school system at early ages so that people do not grow up with hatred as part of their being."
"This most valuable book is one that everyone should read. And one that all minorities can identify with readily. It truly makes people think."
"Thank you for selecting, arranging, and 'writing' your wonderful and enlightening book, which will touch many, many people."
"I can't say enough great things about this amazing compilation of quotes. It is a very powerful tool that can bring about reflection, conviction, and (hopefully) correction in the thoughts and actions of its readers."
"The book is awesome. Fighting racism is an enormous task, but it can be done. Reaching one person at a time, or with your book a mass of people, it is all worth the effort."

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Home | About the book | Introduction | Table of contents | A selection of quotes | What people have said about the book | How people are using the book | FAQs | Get the book
Revised April 2009