Black women Quote by Mara Brock Akil

Debbie Allen and Regina King inspire me.

— Nafessa Williams

Lucy Mercedes Martinez, my mother, was probably my first mentor. She really tried to take care of me in spite of myself, and in…

— Richard Carmona

It was really my grandmother who was the biggest influence because she'd talk back to the celebrities and politicians on TV. She was a…

— Randy Rainbow

I was influenced growing up by everything from Harlequin romances to Fedor Dostoyevsky and Albert Camus, James Baldwin, Toni Morrison, and later Lydia Davis,…

— Danzy Senna

My grandmother was energetic and fearless - a talented poet and songwriter. She was also interested in chemistry and history and medicine, taking care…

— Salma Hayek

My mom was the first African-American woman to graduate from the University of Chicago Law School, in 1946. She had leadership roles in the…

— John W. Rogers, Jr

I think my grandmother was one of my biggest influences.

— Curtis Mayfield

My father, obviously, and my mother were inspirations. My uncle, Frank Harper, he was an absolute mentor for me.

— Hill Harper

A Different World was run by black women, Debbie Allen and Yvette Lee Bowser. Lead writer Susie Fales-Hill was a hero of mine, because…

— Gina Prince-Bythewood

My mom was the Diana Ross of our clan. She was always up-to-date, and always knew what to do and what not to do…

— Erykah Badu

The beautiful 1940s women were a strong influence for me.

— Rachel Roy

I was raised by strong women, and the role models I had in music and cinema were strong, too - liberated and provocative.

— Yasmine Hamdan