Albert Murray Quotes, born May 12, 1916, in Nokomis, Alabama, was an American writer, critic, and cultural theorist whose works redefined the narrative of Black American experience. A novelist, essayist, and jazz scholar, he authored influential books like The Omni-Americans (1970) and Stomping the Blues (1976), celebrating the blues and jazz as vital expressions of American identity. Educated at Tuskegee Institute, where he befriended Ralph Ellison, Murray’s writings emphasized the shared humanity and cultural synthesis of Black and White Americans. These 15 quotes—sourced from his books, essays, interviews, and public statements—reflect his insights on culture, resilience, and the artistry of life, capturing his vibrant and affirmative vision.
15 Albert Murray Quotes
- “The blues is not the creation of a crushed-spirited people. It is the product of a forward-looking, upward-striving people.” (Book, Stomping the Blues, 1976)
- “American culture, even in its most rigidly segregated precincts, is patently and irrevocably composite … the so-called black and so-called white people of the United States resemble nobody else in the world so much as they resemble each other.” (Book, The Omni-Americans, 1970)
- “In the context of a national dialogue, perhaps the only authorization required for ‘putting in your little two cents worth’ is the constitutional provision for free speech.” (Book, The Omni-Americans, 1970)
- “The United States is not a nation of black and white people. Any fool can see that white people are not really white, and that black people are not black.” (Book, The Omni-Americans, 1970)
- “When the Negro musician or dancer swings the blues, he is fulfilling the same fundamental existential requirement that determines the mission of the poet, the priest and the medicine man.” (Book, Stomping the Blues, 1976)
- “I am not an African. I am an American.” (Book, The Omni-Americans, 1970)
- “Ethnic differences are the very essence of cultural diversity and national creativity.” (Book, The Omni-Americans, 1970)
- “The improvisational nature of jazz musicianship is such that a truly competent performer must be prepared to function as an on-the-spot composer.” (Book, Stomping the Blues, 1976)
- “For my wife, Mozelle, who, honeysuckle-fairytale downhome girl that she is, was, as the old folks used to say, born knowing.” (Book, South to a Very Old Place, 1971)
- “The blues is an impulse to keep the painful details and episodes of a brutal experience alive in one’s aching consciousness, to finger its jagged grain, and to transcend it.” (Book, Stomping the Blues, 1976)
- “As any competent student of literary composition knows, the more natural and casual a voice sounds in print, the more likely it is to have been edited time and again.” (Essay, The Hero and the Blues, 1973)
- “The hero, whether in victory or defeat, plays by far the most significant role in the drama of his own life.” (Book, The Hero and the Blues, 1973)
- “The juke joint, the honky tonk, and the ballroom also represent a ceremonial context for the male-with-female-duet dance flirtation and embrace.” (Book, Stomping the Blues, 1976)
- “Nor was his point that the meek shall inherit the earth. His point was that no man could inherit the earth, that the only thing worth inheriting is humanity.” (Book, South to a Very Old Place, 1971)
- “There is nothing that anybody in the world has ever done that is more civilized or sophisticated than to dance elegantly, which is to state with your total physical being an affirmative attitude toward the sheer fact of existence.” (Essay, Academic Lead Sheet, From the Briarpatch File, 2001)
Albert Murray’s quotes celebrate the resilience, creativity, and shared humanity of American culture, urging us to embrace the blues, jazz, and our collective identity with elegance and defiance. Which one inspires you to swing to life’s rhythm? Share it in the comments and keep Murray’s vibrant legacy alive!
Emma Thompson
Hi, I'm Emma Thompson, founder of MyLittleDesire. I share relationship advice, love quotes, and thoughtful gift ideas to help you express your feelings and strengthen your bonds. Let's celebrate love together!
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