Conversation | 09/23/2009 4:00 am

Whoopi Goldberg: 'I Was Raised to Think That Anything Was Possible in America'

Whoopi Goldberg and Liz Smith discuss race, Barack Obama and the American Dream …

Editor’s Note: This is part three of Liz Smith’s exclusive interview with Whoopi Goldberg. Click here to read part one. Click here to read part two.

LIZ: Well, Whoopi, I think anybody who cared to read your résumé, track your career, your thousands of awards … in some way you’ve won more awards than anybody. And I’m thinking of the Mark Twain Award especially — that was just the epitome! And people would say that as a result of this you are truly living the American dream and really feeling a part of it. Is there any difference for you in what happened in the election?

WHOOPI: Well, I learned that there was. I didn’t know that there was.

LIZ: I thought, "I'm white, Whoopi's black, and maybe it's presumptuous of me to congratulate her."

LIZ: You thought you were just another American going along …

WHOOPI: Yeah. Yeah.

LIZ: … and didn’t have high hopes.

WHOOPI: No. I was raised to think that anything was possible in America. And I realize now that there was a little qualifying voice that always said, "But don’t forget you’re black." You might not see your brother become a lawyer, a doctor. Let’s just put it that way. And so, I guess, it’s like a little scratch on your arm. It clears up and clears up and clears up and clears up and then you kind of know that something was there, but you don’t really think about it. And when I asked my mom, I said, "Did you ever think that you would see this?" And I thought she was going to say, "Of course," because she was the most positive person I know.

LIZ: Right.

WHOOPI: She said, "No, Caryn. I never." And when she said "never," the way she said it, "never thought I would see this in my lifetime," I thought, "Oh, my God. Here you are, you’ve paid taxes all your life. You’ve been an American all your life. Wait a minute, you just got to vote in the whole country in 1968." You know, it wasn’t until 1968 that blacks throughout the United States were able to vote.

LIZ: I know.

WHOOPI: Yes. But I forgot.

LIZ: You forgot. But you didn’t really think it meant that a black person could go to the total top.

WHOOPI: I realized that I didn’t buy the 1000 percent that I thought I did in the American dream.

LIZ: You know, if you’ve lived a long time you’re always astonished at things. I realize I was born only 14 years after women could vote in America. And so it’s the same thing. They did the Bill of Rights. They did the Constitution. They left slavery out of it because I think they really knew if they tried to put slavery into it then, that the nation would never be.

Read more about: Barack Obama, Culture, Politics, Racism, Society

81 Reader Comments (so far…) Sign In or Register to comment

Whoopi and Liz Thank you for this wonderful conversation. Whoopi, I always thought it was Truman who began the discussions and pushing congress regarding civil rights. Long before anyone else did. I will have to look that one up. Whoopi, when you spoke of your mother it reminded me of a time when many of us were sitting around talking to my mother about this and that. We got on to the subject of what different peoples of the world taught or gave the world. It went on and on and then turned to the arts and someone brought up the question what about black people, and her answer was, besides giving this country it’s music, they are teaching us to love. I have never forgotten that. God bless you and your mother.

By Frannie Em on 12/01/2008 12:50 am

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frannie em, don’t forget about eleanor roosevelt’s contributions when she was first lady.

By mary lou s on 12/03/2008 1:04 pm

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eleanor roosevelt was indeed someting wasnt she?? didnt whoopi dress up as her for Halloween on The View last year? I think…Whoopi is such an amazing woman and a role model..to me esp…when I thinkof it now…God must really love her for He is truly making her life something she loves to live…and we the fans, someone to admire and tell our grandkids of for she is the only celelb I would ever want to meet…she brightens my day..

By FeliJane Ramjohn on 08/01/2009 11:17 pm

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P S Liz, you just get more special every day.

By Frannie Em on 12/01/2008 12:53 am

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Thanks Liz and Whoopi for helping us to realize all the stuff that goes into making this America! Dang, you are great! I grew up in a very racist home, and after all these years am still trying to ‘recover’. It ain’t easy, but it’s worth it. Blessings along the way Whoopi!

By Ro H on 12/01/2008 1:41 am

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Ro, I did too, and could never understand what the hatred was all about. Now, though, I realize that it was also harming me. Thankfully, it didn’t phase me but to this day, I hear that malignant manipulative blaming come out of many of their mouths - after all of these years - some are in their 90s. In many ways it is still sad because such attitudes don’t stop with racism — they tragically limit the human experience - that’s the really sad part.

By C jay on 12/04/2008 7:37 pm

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When will we all once again think about the rights of all women to be equal to men? Now is the golden opportunity for women to get the ERA Amendment passed. I am talking about equality for all women in America. If you don’t need the ERA Amendment then why is it introduced into Congress each session? If you do need the ERA Amendment I advise women to sound a wake up call to the women in the House and Senate who are avoiding this issue. You now have the best opportunity ever to get the ERA Amendment passed by Congress as soon as the new President is inaugurated. You women are the majority without equality, either I am wrong or something should be done ASAP. President Obama who has two daughters should make this an important point in his inaugural address. Peace, love and equality.

By brad berger on 12/01/2008 6:37 am

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Thank you, Brad, for reminding us that this little matter of equal rights still has not righted itself. It has been on my mind for a long time now and I have been surprised at how many of my young women friends don’t realize this amendment has not passed. My state of Ct. has voted for it but there are fifteen states that haven’t and we only need three more to do the trick. My question to you, if you can answer it, is what is the objection? Seems I remember something about the military entering into the argument against––women on the front lines? Well, we know women are on the front lines because in the middle east wars there are no back lines. Good discussion between Liz and Whoopi. Racism, because of Obama’s election, has gone down several notches, but it’s poison will not disappear until the next generation, those that have been raised to see people as individuals, not as some inferior color component. Does anyone know why OT was banned from the site?

By phyllis Doyle Pepe on 12/01/2008 9:06 am

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The problem with the states still ratifying the prior ERA Amendment is that there is a 2 year ratification period on that amendment. It is easier to just start the process again and put the pressure on the male elected officials to get it done now. An old objection was that women should not be drafted and should not be in combat. There is no draft and as you aptly say women are in combat. As a matter of fact my house backs onto the battleground where the Battle of Monmouth took place during the Revolutionary War. It was during this battle that Molly Pitcher brought water to our soldiers and she was in combat back then. There is no excuse other than men not wanting women to be equal. I am totally perplexed by the total failure of the women in Congress to act on this issue immediately. Perhaps when they get to Washington they start thinking and acting like men and forget about their sisters.

By brad berger on 12/01/2008 10:01 am

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Whoopi - My wife and my mom love you and watch The View. My daughter 12 saw you on Broadway this summer and then saw you on the street outside the theater - she loves you. I am totally perplexed as to why you and the women on The View as well as the women who run and own this web site just don’t seem to care about the ERA Amendment. I know you must realize that after Black men got the right to vote it took all women Black, white etc another 50 years before women could vote. Obviously the Amendments that gave the Black man the right to vote did not apply to women. There is a need for the ERA Amendment. Why are you and your friends so quiet when you finally have a real chance for equality. My theory is that once a woman gets to the pinnacle and has power and money like those of you on The View, or those of you who own this web site or the women reach the House or Senate you don’t want to rock the boat - even for equality. Imagine if Martin Luther King, Thurgood Marshall. Marion Anderson and others did nothing.

By brad berger on 12/01/2008 7:42 pm

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Phyllis, I checked out her other writings……………….they are all gone except for her goodbye one. I checked out those headings that were listed and the last time she made comments that are still on this site were under the question…………………11 Dayplan to get your V back in shape. I guess they must have thought she got carried away. She was very far out there………….. I’m surprised they didn’t ban her earlier. Don’t you think it’s strange all her so called friends have not made any comments to her goodbye.

By Dona Howlett on 12/01/2008 6:11 pm

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Whoopi, I do not watch the View that much anymore. But when I do it is because you are there. You always seem so comfortable in your own skin and you are saying what is on your mind , no sugar coating but truth.

By Jeannot Kensinger on 12/01/2008 6:46 am

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DEAR WHOOPIE, I DO WATCH THE VIEW. I - IF I HAD MY WAY ON THE VIEW- I WOULD THROW ONE LITTLE GIRL OFF OF THE VIEW SO FAST THAT SMART AS- WOULD WONDER WHOOT WHAT HAPPENED. I THINK SHERRIE IS ADORABLE- BARBARA HAS ALWAYS HELD NY INTEREST AND LEFT ME WANTING MORE OF ANY OF HER SHOWS . JOY IS A NUT CASE IN A BASKET BUT SOMEONE LEFT THE LID OFF AT THE PICNIC. SHE JUST KEEPS GETTING OUT. I ENJOY HER SO MUCH- I THINK “LIKE JACKIE GLEASON ALWAYS SAID , BABY YOU ARE THE GREATEST”.). I BELIEVE SHE IS SINCER ALWAYS. THEN WHOOPIE, WHAT IS LEFT THAT I CAN SAY ABOUT YOU? HONESTLY , I ENJOY ANY MOVIE YOU HAVE EVER PLAYED IN & YES, I DO BELIEVE I’VE SEEN 90% OF THEM.SISTER-HOOD WHERE YOU WORE THE CATHOLIC HABIT TO COVER YOU FOR PROTECTION. YOUR HAIR WAS SO PRETTY HOW THEY DID IT. YOU ARE A GORGEOUS WOMAN WHY DO YOU DRESS LIKE ME.? MY HUSBAND WANTED ME TO ASK YOU THAT… I AM WHITE - I DO NOT KNOW IF IT QUALIFIES ME TO DRESS LIKE YOU DO, WHAT DO YOU THINK? LOL! WHO KNOWS , IT WILL SURPRISE YOU OR IT WILL MAKE YOU FEEL SAD. BUT I DRESS AS THE COMFORT IS REQUIRED. THEN , THE COLOR PURPLE ——-THERE CAN NEVER BE ANOTHER MOVIE THAT CAN REQUIRE AS MUCH BRILLANCE AS THAT DID. CAN IT. ????? I TOO LIKE HOW YOU SPOKE OF YOUR MOTGHER. MOMMYS ARE SUCH GOD GIVENE BLESSINGS AREN’T THEY!!! THANKS TO ALL OF THE MOMMIES OF THE WORLD. REMEMEBR KIDS LEARN FROM WHAT THEY SEE … GOOD PIECE AGAIN WHOOPIE AND LIZ!

By newzie snoozie on 12/01/2008 8:55 am

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Liz, Whoopie, a couple of thoughts, Thank you for a good conversation, we have indeed come a long way, but we’re not there yet. Do you think Obama would have been elected if he wasn’t half white ? Did you notice that he surrounded himself with only white people while he was campaigning ? I guess pragmatism was the correct thing to do. We were out with Republican friends over the weekend and they had to admit that they think Obama is doing a very good job, although they didn’t vote for him but they said, quote - ” I don’t like that wife of his, I think she is an angry bitter black woman and will push her own agenda ” What can I say ? I guess only time will tell and it will take SOME people a while to adjust. We’ve made a good start. I’ve watched the View since the beginning, as a matter of fact, I tape it now so my husband & I watch Hot Topics in the evening. What makes it so good, and controversial now, is the fact that Elizabeth is there. I see you and Joy rolling your eyes at her, justifiably, but she does add a spark, a bimbo spark, yes, but makes a great conversation. Great fun !

By EKA - on 12/01/2008 10:41 am

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HBO put out a movie a few years ago called “Iron Jawed Angels”. It is a fictionalized portrayal of the Women’s Suffrage Movement. The protagonist is Alice Paul, played by Hillary Swank. I ordered it from Netflix and strongly suggested my family watch it together. Sometimes history needs a little glamour and beautiful people to get the story told. Although some of the characters are fictionalized (the Senator and his wife) it tells the story relatively accurately.

By Lou Hoover on 12/01/2008 10:48 am