Excerpts from Michael Steele's NAACP Speech

"We are the post-civil rights generation of African-Americans and for us the battle for civil rights in the latter half of the twentieth century has become a struggle for economic and educational opportunity at the dawning of this century."

--

"My purpose for coming here today, is simply to tell you face to face, that you are not alone in that struggle. The Republican Party, which has shared an inextricable link to the African-American community, has a way forward."

--

"As Chairman of the [RNC], I recognize the efforts it took to get a seat at the lunch counter, but I also know what it will take for this and future generations to own the diner. So, I have come here today not only to bring greetings, but also to renew our relationship with the NAACP and the African-American community."