As soon as you say that there is a community called, let's say, black Americans, you've immediately created a boundary line - who's in that group, who's outside that group.

In 1975 I was among a group of blacks who formed the Black Americans in Support of Israel Committee.

Segregation, in a sense, helped create and maintain black solidarity.

Any successful black person will have to face suspicion within his or her own community about his or her loyalty to other blacks.

This barbershop being dedicated to a black American soldier also represents something very positive for the community. And I believe in the flag, even if the country doesn't live up to it.

I think that many black people thought this would be a wonderful and extraordinary thing, for a black family to occupy the White House. Not only black people; a lot of white people thought that, too, but particularly black people.