In her whole life Mom never earned more than five or six dollars a week. Being without a husband, it was hard for her to find any place at all for us to live.

There was one emotional outlet my people always had when they had the blues. That was singing.

I am somebody cause God don't make no junk

We are all gifted. That is our inheritance.

What broke Mom's heart was realizing that her children knew nothing and cared nothing about the better side of life.

I had a probing mind and an elephant memory.

If I wanted pity, I got it because I'm illegitimate. And when I didn't want it I was mean and nasty.