- Duff Anderson: It's just that, seems to me us colored folks do a whole lot of church-going, it's the white folks that need it real bad.
- Josie: I can't stand to see you like that; but I know you can't help it.
- Duff Anderson: Stop being so damn understanding.
- Rev. Dawson: And since we're talking: my wife and I don't want you hanging around our daughter.
- Duff Anderson: Well, that figures.
- Jocko: You think you're gonna make it with her?
- Duff Anderson: How 'bout the key?
- Jocko: I bet she's easy jam. Just get her drunk.
- Duff Anderson: You goin' back inside?
- Josie: Yes, aren't you?
- Duff Anderson: No. Never had much use for hell-howlers. How 'bout you?
- Josie: My father's the preacher.
- Duff Anderson: Oh yeah? Well, I guess you ain't got no choice.
- Duff Anderson: You know, baby, I just can't figure you out.
- Josie: How d'you mean?
- Duff Anderson: Why d'you come out with me? You slummin' or somethin'?
- Duff Anderson: Well, either we're gonna hit the hay or get married. Now, you don't want to hit the hay and I don't want to get married.
- Josie: You have some very primitive ideas, don't you?
- Duff Anderson: All right, so I'm primitive. So what d'you want with me?
- Josie: I'm going to stay. Another year, anyway.
- Duff Anderson: You got more guts than me, baby. It's a no-good town.
- Josie: It's better than it used to be. Eight years ago they still had a lynching here. They tied a man to a car and dragged him to death. My father knew who did it, but he didn't say anything.
- Rev. Dawson: Well, it looks like we'll be getting our new school.
- Duff Anderson: How come you all ain't sendin' 'em to the same school?
- Rev. Dawson: Well, you've got to go easy. We haven't had any trouble in town for eight years. And we're not going to have any now.
- Duff Anderson: Can't live without trouble, can you?
- Rev. Dawson: It's hard to know how to talk to the white folks these days.
- Duff Anderson: Yeah. Well, I guess it ain't never been easy.
- Rev. Dawson: It's a changing times.
- Riddick: How's that job comin'?
- Duff Anderson: Well, it ain't the railroad. Those guys are scared. They say they've never known nothin' but takin' it.
- Jocko: They all got families to support
- Duff Anderson: Yeah. That's right, Jocko. Those white guys sure shoot up at you like a yeast cake if you just cock an eye at 'em.
- Duff Anderson: You'll be better off without me. I ain't fit to live with no more. It's just like a lynchin'. Maybe they don't use a knife on you, but they got other ways.
- [last lines]
- Duff Anderson: Ain't gonna be easy, baby - but it's gonna be all right. Baby, I feel so free inside.
- Joe: You know, man, that guy was trying to be friendly.
- Duff Anderson: That ain't my idea of friendliness.
- Barney: You got to watch yourself pretty close.
- Willie: Yeah, you want to get along, act the nigger.
- Duff Anderson: Like hell. You know, if you fellows stuck together 'stead of letting them walk all over you, they might not try it.
- Joe: Like hell they wouldn't.
- Willie: They been doin' it all my life.
- Duff Anderson: Well, maybe it's time you stopped letting them.
- Duff Anderson: How 'bout that furniture plant?
- Barman: Man, the darkest thing they got in there is Coca-Cola.
- Duff Anderson: Yeah.
- Barman: Now, if you want to work like a real nigger, you can always go out and chop cotton.
- Duff Anderson: They done that too long in my family.
- Barman: They pay you three bucks a day an' all the cotton you can eat.
- Rev. Dawson: You can be cocky now, boy. But you won't last. You won't make it. I just feel sorry for Josie. I knew it wouldn't work out.
- Duff Anderson: Well, at least she ain't married to no white man's nigger. You been stoopin' so long, Reverend, you don't even know how to stand straight no more. You just half a man!
- Car Owner: Goddamnit, nigger - you must think you're white! Who d'you think you are - king of Harlem?