Ruby Dee Quotes

Powerful Ruby Dee for Daily Growth

About Ruby Dee

Ruby Dee (1922-2014), an American actress, poet, civil rights activist, and humanitarian, left a lasting impact on stage, screen, and literature throughout her illustrious career spanning seven decades. Born in Manhattan, New York, as Ruby Ann Wallace to working-class parents, Ruby Dee embraced the performing arts from an early age. Her talent was nurtured by the Harlem Renaissance artists she encountered in her community, such as Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston. Dee made her Broadway debut at 16 under the guidance of Orson Welles's Group Theater. She went on to work with trailblazing figures like Ossie Davis, Sidney Poitier, and Harry Belafonte. Her acting credits span numerous plays, movies, and television shows, including "Jewel in the Crown," "American Gothic," and "Undercover Brother." In 1956, Dee and Davis co-founded the Seminar Group, a forum for artists to explore social issues. The couple also worked together on film projects such as the groundbreaking civil rights drama "Goin' Fishin'" and "Do the Right Thing" by Spike Lee. Dee was equally recognized for her poetry, publishing works like "The Oval Heart: A Love Story in Verse," which she co-authored with Ossie Davis. Her life and work also served as inspiration for other artists, including Alice Walker, who dedicated the novel "The Color Purple" to Dee and Davis. Ruby Dee's contributions to the arts, civil rights movement, and society earned her numerous awards, including a Tony Award, a Grammy Award, an Emmy Award, a National Medal of Arts, and a Presidential Medal of Freedom. Her legacy continues to inspire artists and activists today.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"The foundation of true cooperation is respect and understanding."

This quote emphasizes that genuine collaboration depends on two key elements: respect and understanding. Respect refers to acknowledging and valuing each participant's worth, contributions, and perspectives. Understanding involves empathy, an effort to appreciate others' viewpoints, and a willingness to learn from one another. By fostering these foundational pillars, cooperation becomes more effective, equitable, and productive, as it encourages constructive dialogue, open-mindedness, and mutual growth.

"Age is not a barrier. It's a DETOUR."

The quote by Ruby Dee, "Age is not a barrier. It's a detour," conveys that aging should not be seen as an obstacle or impediment to one's goals or dreams. Instead, it is a temporary diversion or change in the path of life, suggesting that age does not limit potential or ability. This perspective encourages people to continue pursuing their passions and personal growth at any stage of life. It emphasizes the importance of adaptability, resilience, and maintaining a positive attitude towards aging, as it can lead to new opportunities and experiences.

"There comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but he must do it because conscience tells him it is right."

This quote signifies that there are moments when personal convictions should supersede safety, politics, or popularity. It underscores the importance of standing up for what is right, even if it's unpopular or potentially risky, as guided by one's moral compass.

"You can't direct the wind or walk on water, but you can adjust your sails everyday."

This quote emphasizes resilience, adaptability, and self-determination in the face of life's unpredictable events. It suggests that we may not be able to control everything - like the wind or walk on water - but we can take charge of our responses by adjusting our attitudes, perspectives, or actions (the sails) daily. This quote encourages us to navigate life's challenges effectively and find personal growth in our journey.

"To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift."

This quote by Ruby Dee emphasizes the importance of giving one's all in every task or endeavor. It suggests that not putting forth our best effort is wasteful, as we are squandering our unique abilities, talents, and potential. In essence, it encourages us to fully utilize our gifts by consistently striving for excellence and never settling for mediocrity or less than our full potential.

Racism is a very insidious thing. It's dangerous to the psyche, to mind and body. It erodes the self-confidence. And I don't know how we get through it.

- Ruby Dee

Mind, Through, Very, Psyche

We don't realize how much racism has tainted our self-image as human beings.

- Ruby Dee

Racism, How, How Much, Self-Image

When I was young, I dreamt of being a starlet in Hollywood. But there comes a point in every African American's life when you realize the limitations, that you could only play maids or some little supporting role. Even Lena Horne couldn't get good parts.

- Ruby Dee

Play, Some, Hollywood, Good Parts

One reason I didn't trust my writing for so long was that I always considered myself a serious dramatic actor. But people would always laugh when I shared my writing with them. It took my husband to help me see that I really am part humorist.

- Ruby Dee

Trust, Reason, Shared, Humorist

You hear people say, 'We take our Tennessee Williams very seriously. There is no laughter here.' It's full of humor! Not to laugh is a big, bad mistake!

- Ruby Dee

Mistake, Here, Very, Tennessee

God has use for all the old people.

- Ruby Dee

God, Old, Use, Old People

'Commitment' is a marvelous word.

- Ruby Dee

Commitment, Word, Marvelous

I respect the fact that a director has studied the text and the road map of work before us, the subtleties, interconnections, underpinnings... His job is to paint the entire picture and knows all the colors that have to be in it.

- Ruby Dee

Fact, Director, Before, Map

Gangsters lived in the neighborhood. They weren't apart from it. Their relationships with people were both benevolent and scary.

- Ruby Dee

Relationships, Gangsters, Benevolent

It is so calming, marriage.

- Ruby Dee

Marriage, Calming

An Oscar nomination? That would be a very satisfying thing, I'm sure. I would appreciate the thought. It would be like taking your hat off as an actor to all the people who walk through you.

- Ruby Dee

Through, Very, Oscar, Satisfying

The Divine Impulse - it's always safe to follow it. We've got to trust it and go wherever it takes us. Especially women.

- Ruby Dee

Trust, Go, Always, Impulse

A nation's youths shouldn't be sent off to die.

- Ruby Dee

Die, Nation, Sent, Youths

I'd come from a background in New York of picketing and protesting.

- Ruby Dee

New York, New, Background, Protesting

I think you mustn't tell your body, you mustn't tell your soul, 'I'm going to retire.' You may be changing your life emphasis, but there's still things that you have in mind to do that now seems the right time to do.

- Ruby Dee

Soul, Tell, I Think, Right Time

My whole life is not defined by what Hollywood does.

- Ruby Dee

Hollywood, Does, Whole, Defined

I learned that having great sensitivity is important. But being strong is just as important.

- Ruby Dee

Strong, Important, Having, Sensitivity

The greatest gift is not being afraid to question.

- Ruby Dee

Gift, Greatest Gift, Afraid, Being Afraid

Marriage, like love, is an aspiration. It's a process.

- Ruby Dee

Love, Process, Like, Aspiration

I'm very much interested in getting prisons off the stock market. I'm very much interested in upgrading the public school system... and taking a second look at capital punishment.

- Ruby Dee

Very, Capital, Public School, Prisons

I do remember the numbers runners, I do remember the poverty and bread lines. Harlem stays with you forever.

- Ruby Dee

Remember, Bread, Stays, Runners

OK, boss, I don't mind shuffling, but I won't scratch my head.

- Ruby Dee

Boss, Mind, Head, OK

You can't be all you are meant to be if you think you are better than others, and you can't be all you are meant to be if you think you are less than others, either.

- Ruby Dee

Think, Less, Meant, Meant To Be

There is a place for people 65 and older that no other age group can fit. We have nothing to lose. Some of us have a couple pennies. We can go out now and really be revolutionaries.

- Ruby Dee

Some, Other, Couple, Pennies

It's getting increasingly difficult to be a dreamer under any circumstances.

- Ruby Dee

Getting, Increasingly, Any Circumstances

Just staying together is not a real virtue, if you're not happy. Or you're being denied. Or one person is being squashed. Or you really don't love each other; you're just there out of habit. That doesn't work, no matter how many years you stay together.

- Ruby Dee

Love, Other, Staying, Denied

Black women have to know the historical and everyday struggles of black men, and our men have to know the struggles of black women in America.

- Ruby Dee

Men, Black, Know, Everyday

I have this deep love for authors. I think that we don't do enough to encourage love of words and love of books.

- Ruby Dee

Love, Deep, Think, Authors

We are all a tiger with feelings. An elephant who never forgets. We are tiger, panther, monkey - we are all of these things, all of the life rhythms.

- Ruby Dee

Tiger, Monkey, Rhythms, Feelings

Before I latched onto the concept of stereotypes, not once did I reckon with the fact that I would never be a 'Hollywood starlet.'

- Ruby Dee

Fact, Stereotypes, Hollywood, Starlet

I really don't believe in retiring as long as you can breathe.

- Ruby Dee

Believe, Retiring, Really, Breathe

Black History Month is fine, but we need more months of the year to celebrate all the people on this earth. After all, we're all creatures of the same God.

- Ruby Dee

Year, Need, Months, Black History

Is it safe and sane to only have one political and economic system by which everyone in the world can live? Or can we explore and share? God never made one of anything.

- Ruby Dee

Explore, Everyone, Which, Economic System

My constant battle is putting aside time wasters, and I have to watch out for procrastination. Staying on the path of something you're trying to create has much to do with having confidence in yourself and in your capacity to realize the things you want out of life.

- Ruby Dee

Constant, Putting, Staying, Realize

Well, I didn't grow up with that word 'retirement' as part of my consciousness. I didn't grow up with professionals that retired. I thought retiring was when you are tired and go to bed.

- Ruby Dee

Grow, Consciousness, Bed, Retired

My stepmother wanted to be an actress.

- Ruby Dee

Actress, Wanted, Stepmother

You're not supposed to go into business with the sole purpose of putting your neighbor out of business. This is not the United States of Corporate America.

- Ruby Dee

United States, Sole, Putting, Sole Purpose

The nature of racism is that it grinds down the soul of the man more finely than it does the soul of the woman. When you want to conquer a people or subject it, you destroy the male component.

- Ruby Dee

Nature, Woman, Racism, Component

I never remember, like, saying, 'Well, I'm going to belong - join the civil rights movement.'

- Ruby Dee

Belong, Like, Going, Rights Movement

Black filmmakers - I'm grateful for them.

- Ruby Dee

Grateful, Black, Them, Filmmakers

I think the poets and musicians, they belong to everybody.

- Ruby Dee

Think, Everybody, I Think, Poets

You have to learn how to be married. You have to learn to love somebody.

- Ruby Dee

Love, Learn, How, To Love

I think all human beings have a godlike, divine power, only most of us don't tap into it.

- Ruby Dee

Think, I Think, Tap, Beings

Life can't die. It's a contradiction.

- Ruby Dee

Life, Die, Contradiction

I shined shoes; I did windows.

- Ruby Dee

Shoes, Did, Windows

I remember street corners and pickets and parades. That's what I got teethed on.

- Ruby Dee

Remember, Street, I Remember, Parades

I'm proud of doing 'Long Day's Journey into Night,' for which I won an ACE award.

- Ruby Dee

Proud, Doing, Which, Ace

I have always been against the gangster as hero.

- Ruby Dee

Always, Against, Been, Gangster

God, make me so uncomfortable that I will do the very thing I fear.

- Ruby Dee

Me, Will, Very, Uncomfortable

I don't think the arts would have been as meaningful to me if I hadn't grown up in Harlem.

- Ruby Dee

Think, Meaningful, Been, Harlem

I don't know who I would be if I weren't this child from Harlem, this woman from Harlem. It's in me so deep.

- Ruby Dee

Deep, Woman, Would, Harlem

My experience for myself as a performer is not one of high expectations.

- Ruby Dee

Myself, High, Performer, High Expectations

You should always be prepared to win. But as much as I tell myself that, I've accepted another kind of role. Racism undercuts expectation, something like that. I'm not saying that to excuse myself from anything, but I've lived all this time, and things don't happen.

- Ruby Dee

Tell, Role, Prepared, Excuse

I didn't have the kind of talent or personality that kept me dreaming about Hollywood. They don't hire little colored girls to do this or that. After I got that in my head, I took another direction.

- Ruby Dee

Hollywood, Dreaming, Took, Kept

I never thought about myself as an activist when we were coming along. I love the people I love. I didn't care whether they could be a Democrat, Republican, communist... anything but a racist.

- Ruby Dee

Love, Thought, Communist, Activist

You can only appreciate freedom when you find yourself in a position to fight for someone else's freedom and not worry about your own.

- Ruby Dee

Worry, Own, About, Position

Marriage is more complex than we think.

- Ruby Dee

Marriage, Think, More, Complex

We women have a great function to perform. The world needs us.

- Ruby Dee

World, Needs, Perform, Function

I'm an actor who appreciates direction.

- Ruby Dee

Direction, Actor, Who, Appreciates

I don't remember, as a child, feeling a lack of anything.

- Ruby Dee

Child, Remember, Feeling, Lack

I didn't realize it until I was grown how necessary it is for good people to be tough.

- Ruby Dee

How, Necessary, Until, Good People

The kind of beauty I want most is the hard-to-get kind that comes from within - strength, courage, dignity.

- Ruby Dee

Strength, Beauty, Most, Dignity

Oh, I'm impressed with Lorraine Hansberry. She was a genius at whose feet I could sit.

- Ruby Dee

Feet, Genius, She, Whose

The white actresses I have known have been allowed to do 10 times more than I shall ever do.

- Ruby Dee

Been, Ever, Times, Actress

I pray with my whole soul that the divide-and-conquerers among us will not triumph over us. We need each other in this world so desperately.

- Ruby Dee

Triumph, Other, Over, Desperately

Marriage is really an exciting adventure.

- Ruby Dee

Marriage, Adventure, Really, Exciting

I think I have something unique that I'd like to share.

- Ruby Dee

Think, Like, I Think, Unique

African-Americans have a lot to teach the world.

- Ruby Dee

World, Lot, Teach

The economics of life is against the family.

- Ruby Dee

Life, Family, Against, Economics

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