I was born in West Baltimore, lived in a situation in which violence was everywhere. Ta-Nehisi Coates baltimorebearlive Change image and share on social
I'm the descendant of enslaved black people in this country. You could've been born in 1820 if you were black and looked back to your ancestors and saw nothing but slaves all the way back to 1619. Look forward another 50 or 60 years and saw nothing but slaves. Ta-Nehisi Coates ancestorbackbear share on social
Everybody thinks that an important book has to be a big, long book. Ta-Nehisi Coates bigbookimportant Change image and share on social
There's a kind of optimism specifically within Christianity about the world - about whose side God is on. Well, I didn't have any of that in my background. I had physicality and chaos. Ta-Nehisi Coates backgroundchaoschristianity Change image and share on social
There are African-American families around this country - a large, large number of African-American families - that operate out of complete fear that their kids are going to be taken from them and will do anything to prevent that. Ta-Nehisi Coates africanamericancomplete share on social
I think the body is the ultimate thing. The soul and mind are part of the body. I don't think there is anything outside of that. Your physical self is who you are. Some people feel that that is reductionist, but I don't think it is. It's just true. Ta-Nehisi Coates bodyfeelmind share on social
African Americans are one of the oldest ethnic groups in this country. We been here since the beginning. Before the beginning. Ta-Nehisi Coates africanamericanbegin Change image and share on social
There are plenty of African-Americans in this country - and I would say this goes right up to the White House - who are not by any means poor, but are very much afflicted by white supremacy. Ta-Nehisi Coates afflictafricanamerican Change image and share on social
It's very hard to be black in this country and hate America. It's really hard to live like that. I would actually argue it's impossible to fully see yourself. Ta-Nehisi Coates americaargueblack Change image and share on social
The plunder of black communities is not a bump along the road, but it is, in fact, the road itself that you can't have in America without enslavement, without Jim Crow, terrorism, everything that came after that. Ta-Nehisi Coates americablackbump share on social
