If every moment is sacred, and If you are amazed and in awe most of the time when you find yourself breathing and not crazy, then you are in a state of constant thankfulness, worship and humility. Bernice Johnson Reagon amazeawebreathe Change image and share on social
So one of the things that happened with integration in the South is they found that the black teachers were much more educated than the white teachers. Bernice Johnson Reagon blackeducatefind Change image and share on social
The voice I have now, I got the first time I sang in a movement meeting, after I got out of jail... and I'd never heard it before in my life. Bernice Johnson Reagon hearjaillife Change image and share on social
I started graduate school in 1971, I started working at the Smithsonian in the festival in 1972. I went full-time at the Smithsonian in 1974. And I got my doctorate in 1975. Bernice Johnson Reagon doctoratefestivalfull Change image and share on social
I learned that if you bring black people together, you bring them together with a song. To this day, I don't understand how people think they can bring anybody together without a song. Bernice Johnson Reagon blackbringday Change image and share on social
I think the Civil Rights Movement changed that trajectory for me. The first thing I did was leave school. I was suspended for my participation in Movement demonstrations in my hometown, December, 1961. Bernice Johnson Reagon changecivildecember share on social
There is nowhere you can go and only be with people who are like you. Give it up. Bernice Johnson Reagon givepeople Change image and share on social
It makes sense that whatever the topic is, it's more compelling if you can provide the audience with a range of perspectives, and you can cross disciplines. And you don't have to control what people take out of it. Bernice Johnson Reagon audiencecompelcontrol share on social
In fact when Sweet Honey was ten years old it was too big for me to run, and I knew it, but I ran it for another thirteen years because I couldn't convince other people to really do it. And this year, I'm not running it. Bernice Johnson Reagon bigconvincefact share on social
I was at the Smithsonian for twenty years, and I'm still at the Smithsonian as a curator emeritus, and I still plan to figure out what that means for me at this point in my life. Bernice Johnson Reagon curatoremeritusfigure Change image and share on social
