Even during my youth, I can recall very few black people living on any kind of public assistance. People were working, doing some kind of job that was useful to the community. Ed Smith assistanceblackcommunity Change image and share on social
Before Booker T. Washington, we have small business owners but we do not have a philosopher of black entrepreneurship, and that's what Washington was. Ed Smith blackbookerbusiness Change image and share on social
Segregation was a burden for many blacks, because the end of the civil war and the amendments added to the constitution elevated expectations beyond reality in some respects. Ed Smith addamendmentblack Change image and share on social
The Washington black community was able to succeed beyond his wildest dreams. I mean, we had our own newspapers, our own restaurants, our own theaters, our own small shops, our own clubs, our own Masonic lodges. Ed Smith blackclubcommunity share on social
One of the prices that we pay for integration was the disintegration of the black community. Ed Smith blackcommunitydisintegration Change image and share on social
When you were growing up in the 30s, 20s, of course the 40s, all black people at least in the Washington, D.C., area were required to live among themselves. Ed Smith 20s30s40s Change image and share on social
There's a way in which you can look at clothing as your outer skin. And because you were discriminated against because of your complexion, the way in which you could overcome that was through the way in which you presented yourself with your clothing. Ed Smith clthecomplexiondiscriminate share on social
Many of the master chefs in the South, both the upper South as well as the deep South, were blacks and many of those people came here to Washington, D.C., and opened up establishments. Very, very few of them have survived. But they certainly were very prominent. Ed Smith blackchefdeep share on social
People should have the choice to be able to live where they want to live, go to school where they want to go to school, marry whoever they want to marry regardless of what their complexion is and so forth. Ed Smith choicecomplexionlive share on social
When you say that you are a race man, it means that you embrace the entire black community regardless of the hue, whether somebody is very light and could pass for possibly white or someone is very dark. Ed Smith blackcommunitydark share on social
