“Optimist, n. A proponent of the doctrine that black is white.”
The Devil's Dictionary (1911)
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Ambrose Bierce 204
American editorialist, journalist, short story writer, fabu… 1842–1914Related quotes

"Social Justice and the Emerging New Age" address at the Herman W. Read Fieldhouse, Western Michigan University (18 December 1963)
1960s

Hoggart's Guardian column 9 Feb 1980 http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/1980/feb/09/zimbabwe.simonhoggart
As quoted by Joe Romersa (c. 1992)
Shadowbox Studio

“[I]n the words of Chairman Mao, 'It's darkest before it's totally black.”
In response to a reporter's question, "Which is more likely: making progress in Iraq or you winning the nomination?" (July 2007)
2000s, 2007
Source: Liasson, Mara. McCain Nearly Broke But Stays Course http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=12000037. National Public Radio. July 7, 2007.

HORACE GREELEY’S VIEWS ON VIRGINIA 2 https://archive.org/stream/horacegreeleysvi00gree#page/2/mode/2up (1872)
1870s

“And finds, with keen, discriminating sight,
Black ’s not so black,—nor white so very white.”
New Morality.
Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)

OK who's going to identify that?
The Guardian, Saturday 26 April 2008

“The world is not black and white. More like black and grey.”
London Observer (January 2, 1983)