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When I was a kid, no one would believe anything positive that you could say about black people. That's a terrible burden.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
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Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Age: 77
Born: 1947
Born: April 16
Actor
Author
Basketball Coach
Basketball Player
Film Producer
Screenwriter
Television Actor
New York City
New York
Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor
Jr.
Lew Alcindor
Anything
Believe
Would
Burden
People
Basketball
Positive
Terrible
Black
Kids
More quotes by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
When I was 17, I worked in a mentoring program in Harlem designed to improve the community. That's when I first gained an appreciation of the Harlem Renaissance, a time when African-Americans rose to prominence in American culture. For the first time, they were taken seriously as artists, musicians, writers, athletes, and as political thinkers.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
In a typical history book, black Americans are mentioned in the context of slavery or civil rights. There's so much more to the story.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
I think black Americans expect too much from individual black Americans in terms of changing the status quo.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
You can't win if you don't play as a unit.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
In athletics there's always been a willingness to cheat if it looks like you're not cheating. I think that's just a quirk of human nature.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
I would suggest that teachers show their students concrete examples of the negative effects of the actions that gangsta rappers glorify.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
If they took the idea that they could escape poverty through education, I think it would make a more basic and long-lasting change in the way things happen. What we need are positive, realistic goals and the willingness to work. Hard work and practical goals.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
When we went up against teams that were better, I just hoped that we could steal the victories.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
I want people to understand that I intend to continue living and doing all the things that I love to do up until the end. And the end is by no means rushing up on me.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
I think the NBA will certainly survive without Michael Jordan.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Reporters used to ask me the same inane questions year-in and year-out, city-to-city, and it would drive me crazy.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Lakers were able to maintain a certain level of talent and success and so were the Celtics. So after awhile it became part of people's sports lore...
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
The constant expansion has diluted the talent. Other than that, it's still the same game.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
You can't win unless you learn how to lose.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
When you're a coach you've got to go up the ladder, you've got to be ready to travel. That's the nature of coaching
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
I think a lot of people, if they get the opportunity to do some acting, they think, 'I might be a star.'
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
For me, the bold jazz of John Coltrane and Miles Davis reflected the bold attitude in African-Americans finding their political identity and voice.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Either because I was an athlete or because I was black - probably both - there seemed to be a clear assumption that I wouldn't be up to the work.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
A team will always appreciate a great individual if he's willing to sacrifice for the group.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
There are rap groups that have a positive outlook in their art. These groups should be shown as an alternative to gangsta rap.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
