Explorations in Black Leadership

Co-Directed by Phyllis Leffler & Julian Bond

Race-Conscious Style

BOND: And you described a moment ago the number of boards and the organizations you’re connected with, and both in your church role and your presidential role. I wonder if you have a different leadership style when you deal with groups that are all black, or black and white, or all white. Are you different?

BUTTS: I think the style— Earlier, we talked about style. I think so. I think so. I may not say anything differently or I may say it differently but it may not be different. Sure, I mean, I can think of some stories that I would tell in an all-black audience that would probably just fall to the ground in an all-white audience and some in an all-white audience that an all-black audience would say what is that boy talking about. So, I think so, yeah.