Watch Toni Morrison Drop Knowledge on Stephen Colbert

On Wednesday, Nobel and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Toni Morrison appeared on The Colbert Report. With her thoughtful and acerbic wit, she successfully broke down race and racism in our society. Suggested Reading Why Many Black Folks Fear the Worst Is Already Here Tony! Toni! Toné! Drama: Founder’s Family Fights Over Disinheritance Alabama Is Set to…

On Wednesday, Nobel and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Toni Morrison appeared on The Colbert Report. With her thoughtful and acerbic wit, she successfully broke down race and racism in our society.

Video will return here when scrolled back into view
Meet the Masterminds Behind the Beats: Celebrating Black Music Producers by Region

Morrison and host Stephen Colbert jokingly agreed that since President Barack Obama was an admirer of hers, they could consider calling the Obamacare health insurance law “Toni-care.” She laughed along when Colbert—in character—said, “I don’t see race, I don’t even see my own. People tell me I’m white, and I believe them, because I haven’t read any of your books.”

Morrison also let Colbert know that she didn’t want to be labeled an African-American writer. When he asked her how she’d prefer to be known, she replied, “As an American writer.”

She later explained, “There’s no such thing as race. Racism is a construct. A social construct.”

If you want to learn something, take a look:

Read more at Salon.

Straight From The Root

Sign up for our free daily newsletter.