Generally we think of white supremacist views as having their origins with the unlettered, underprivileged, poorer-class whites. But the social obstetricians who presided at the birth of racist views in our country were from the aristocracy: rich merchants, influential clergymen, men of medical science, historians and political scientists from some of the leading universities of the nation. With such a distinguished company of the elite working so assiduously to disseminate racist views, what was there to inspire poor, illiterate, unskilled white farmers to think otherwise?

This is something that I deeply, deeply regret. Darkening your face, regardless of the context or circumstances, is always unacceptable because of the racist history of blackface.

America is still mostly xenophobic and racist. That's the nature of America, I think.

People are racist about redheads in a way they'd never dare to be about black or Asian people.

I'm the least racist person you have ever interviewed.

I was so ashamed of who I was, a kind of semi-racist, which didn't make sense.