Derrick Bell
Derrick Bell
Derrick Albert Bell, Jr. was the first tenured African-American professor of law at Harvard Law School and is largely credited as one of the originators of critical race theory. He was a visiting professor at New York University School of Law from 1991 until his death. He was also a dean of the University of Oregon School of Law...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionEducator
Date of Birth6 November 1930
CountryUnited States of America
white america done
Slavery is, as an example of what white America has done, a constant reminder of what white America might do.
inspirational grief gains
A rule without exceptions is an instrument capable of doing mischief to the innocent and bringing grief - as well as injustice - to those who should gain exemptions from the rule's functioning.
rights civil-rights ready
Few whites are ready to actively promote civil rights for blacks.
inspirational powerful names
Resistance is a powerful motivator precisely because it enables us to fulfill our longing to achieve our goals while letting us boldly recognize and name the obstacles to those achievements.
hands oppressors reformers
Power in the hands of the reformer is no less potentially corrupting than in the hands of the oppressor.
people ethics easy
All ethical people strive to choose "right" over "easy" when confronted by situations that force them to choose one or the other.
self mentor may
However self-sufficient we may fancy ourselves, we exist only in relation -- to our friend, family, and life partners; to those we teach and mentor; to our co-workers, neighbors, strangers; and even to forces we cannot fully conceive of, let alone define. In many ways, we are our relationships.
america greed level-playing-field
We live in a system that espouses merit, equality, and a level playing field, but exalts those with wealth, power, and celebrity, however gained.
college white obnoxious
I live to harass white folks.
progress made changed
It appears that my worst fears have been realised: we have made progress in everything yet nothing has changed.
life self-esteem commitment
Black people are the magical faces at the bottom of society's well. Even the poorest whites, those who must live their lives only a few levels above, gain their self-esteem by gazing down on us. Surely, they must know that their deliverance depends on letting down their ropes. Only by working together is escape possible. Over time, many reach out, but most simply watch, mesmerized into maintaining their unspoken commitment to keeping us where we are, at whatever cost to them or to us (Bell).
self-esteem flower promise
Self-esteem is like a difficult-to-cultivate flower. It requires frequent nurturing that occurs when you keep your word and follow through on your promises.
empathy enlightenment way
Education leads to enlightenment. Enlightenment opens the way to empathy. Empathy foreshadows reform.
views racism challenges
The challenge throughout has been to tell what I view as the truth about racism without causing disabling despair.