"I'm still very much a radical. I've always defined a radical as someone not satisfied with the status quo. And I'm definitely not satisfied with the status quo. Sixty-five percent unemployment in the black community - how can I not be a radical?" James Lileks "They still see red - Nellie Stone Johnson" St. Paul Pioneer Press, 1 May 1988, 6 (E).
"I'm not going to quit. There is too much to do. People need jobs, equality, education. We still need to organize to learn how the economics and politics drive everything in life. Can't stop now." Denise Johnson. "After 90 years, Nellie Stone Johnson going strong to push her cause." St. Paul Pioneer Press, 2 December 1995, 13 (A).
Inequality between the sexes has been women's focus for the past 10 years. But now, I think they have to ask themselves... are they seeing to it that they include all women, particularly those of color?" Kay Harvey "Women's groups honors six trailblazers for contributions to Minnesota history" St. Paul Pioneer Press, 26 January 1993, 1 (B).
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"The least powerful person in the country, understanding collective bargaining, can become the most powerful, and that is what politics is all about." Les Suzukamo "Scholarship honors nervy Nellie Stone Johnson" St. Paul Pioneer Press, 10 November 1988, 1 (C).
Addressing her involvement with the Young Communists League, Young Socialists and the Socialist-Labor Party "They were the only one's talking economic sense. They were talking about jobs, employment. Here, I thought, were some platforms and groups you could get together and do something for equality, which was something the two major parties were not addressing at all. The Democratic Party at that time was pretty hidebound and, of course, the Republicans didn't care what happened as long as they made some money." James Lileks "They still see red - Nellie Stone Johnson" St. Paul Pioneer Press, 1 May 1988, 6 (E).
"We had an (infiltrating) FBI man on our board, and we knew who it was. We weren't doing anything that was un-American. In fact, we were more American than he was. We just conducted our business with him sitting there, and if there were any new policies we had to discuss that might be a little outside the norm, we'd get together and do it over coffee. Then we'd come into the board meeting and pass it without discussion." James Lileks "They still see red - Nellie Stone Johnson" St. Paul Pioneer Press, 1 May 1988, 6 (E).
"I've always believed that if people had a fair shake at a job, they'd be able to survive and keep building. In most cases, a person with a decent job will push for a little more. A person with a decent job will seek a little more education, push for the children to get an education. My issues are feeding people and jobs." Doug Grow "90-year-old activist won't let age keep her from labor fight" Star Tribune, 17 December 1995, 2 (B).
(On joining the forces of the Democratic Party and the Farmer-Labor Party): "I was very excited about it. We were able to give working people the right to organize and black people the right to go to school and work and not be hung from the nearest tree." Chuck Haga "50 years, few cheers. In busy election year, DFL birthday passing quietly." Star Tribune, 15 April 1994, 1 (B).
"It's the same thing for women as for racial minorities. I've spent a lot of time in the labor movement and you see how things work. When employers set the prices, women are always worth less than men, and black people are worth less than white people - all those cute little things." Kim Ode "Women pay price for capitalism." Star Tribune, 25 May 1993, 1 (E).
"I think in the women's movement, we're talking some backlash. Basically we're trying to get as bad as the 'good old boys' when it comes to racial discrimination. I mean, women of color hardly figure into the hard drive for the glass ceiling." Kim Ode "Women pay price for capitalism." Star Tribune, 25 May 1993, 1 (E).
"I've always been preaching a simple message, jobs, jobs, jobs. Clear back in the 1950's, it was fashionable for white liberals to go out to dinner with black people. They'd take you to a restaurant like Charlie's and people would think 'Isn't this nice? This wouldn't happen in some places.' But I'd say, even then, 'What good does it do if we can go into nice restaurants if we can't afford to order in them." Doug Grow "For many, the state is no longer the land of 10,000 dreams." Star Tribune, 26 July 1992, 3 (B).
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| Nellie at her sewing machine. |
"I believe there are bastards here. But I also believe there's more decent people than bastards. I think we can change." Doug Grow "For many, the state is no longer the land of 10,000 dreams." Star Tribune, 26 July 1992, 3 (B).
"Later on... I found out what he [Nellie's father] meant by [the term] 'educated fool' - someone who can remember everything they read n a book, but can't analyze what they read or live by what they claim to believe in." Steve Perry "The Good Fight: Nellie Stone Johnson's 70 years in Minnesota politics." Citypages, 29 May 1991, 8-12.
"The real civil rights of people is an economic question. I think the simultaneous deterioration of the civil rights movement and that of blacks in the labor movement over the last 30 years proves that." Steve Perry "The Good Fight: Nellie Stone Johnson's 70 years in Minnesota politics." Citypages, 29 May 1991, 8-12.
" I thought there would be so much more progress by now. If you look at my age and what has happened in the past 25 years, then look 25 years down the pike from now, it's discouraging. If it takes as long as it has to accomplish what little has been accomplished, that's very bad. It seems kind of hopeless. Except I'm not going to let it be." Steve Perry "The Good Fight: Nellie Stone Johnson's 70 years in Minnesota politics." Citypages, 29 May 1991, 8-12.
"Every day I see situations where, if there had been equality of employment opportunity, those situations wouldn't be happening." Steve Perry "The Good Fight: Nellie Stone Johnson's 70 years in Minnesota politics." Citypages, 29 May 1991, 8-12.
"People feel good about themselves when they're working. All these other things people come up with--housing programs and youth programs and all that--that's all well and good. But somewhere in each family there has to be a job. And that job begets housing and also makes it possible for people to get the education they want. It creates the desire for education. Out of that comes everything else." Steve Perry "The Good Fight: Nellie Stone Johnson's 70 years in Minnesota politics." Citypages, 29 May 1991, 8-12.
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