I'm grateful to intelligent people. That doesn't mean educated. That doesn't mean intellectual. I mean really intelligent. What black old people used to call 'mother wit' means intelligence that you had in your mother's womb. That's what you rely on. You know what's right to do.

Alone, all alone Nobody, but nobody Can make it out here alone.

When the human race neglects its weaker members, when the family neglects its weakest one - it's the first blow in a suicidal movement.

Of course, there are those critics - New York critics as a rule - who say, 'Well, Maya Angelou has a new book out and of course it's good but then she's a natural writer.' Those are the ones I want to grab by the throat and wrestle to the floor because it takes me forever to get it to sing. I work at the language.

Because of technological breakthroughs, the society will need fewer and fewer unskilled laborers.

Grace is like a lake of drinkable water right outside your door. But you stay inside and die of thirst.

We are missing Michael. But we do know we had him, and we are the world.