If you have, give. If you learn, teach.

Hold those things that tell your history and protect them. During slavery, who was able to read or write or keep anything? The ability to have somebody to tell your story to is so important. It says: 'I was here. I may be sold tomorrow. But you know I was here.'

I not only have the right to stand up for myself, but I have the responsibility. I can't ask somebody else to stand up for me if I won't stand up for myself. And once you stand up for yourself, you'd be surprised that people say, "Can I be of help?".

Women been gittin' pregnant ever since Eve ate that apple.

Human beings are more alike than unalike, and what is true anywhere is true everywhere, yet I encourage travel to as many destinations as possible for the sake of education as well as pleasure.

I suggest that the great art belongs to all people, all the time--that indeed it is made for the people, by the people, to the people.

I wrote some of the worst poetry west from the Mississippi River, but I wrote. And I finally sometimes got it right.