A woman’s greatest glory is to be little talked about by men, whether for good or ill.

Now there is fame! Of all—hunger, misery, the incomprehension by the public—fame is by far the worst. It is the castigation by God of the artist. It is sad. It is true.

Being a star has made it possible for me to get insulted in places where the average Negro could never hope to go and get insulted.

What a heavy burden is a name that has become too famous.

When I do a show, the whole show revolves around me, and if I don’t show up, they can just forget it.

They are trying to make me into a fixed star. I am an irregular planet.