The devil lives in our mistakes, the lord lives in our rights. Who lives in our ignorance, and who wins after all?

My great blessing is my son, but I have daughters. I have white ones and Black ones and fat ones and thin ones and pretty ones and plain. I have gay ones and straight. I have daughters. I have Asian ones, I have Jewish ones, I have Muslim ones.

Try, start always at home. This is my encouragement to all writers, start at home. All virtues and vices begin at home, and then spread abroad.

I think the more we know the better we are. I mean not just facts. The more we know about each other, the closer we are to learn something about our selves.

In Stamps the segregation was so complete that most Black children didn't really, absolutely know what whites looked like.

I find in my poetry and prose the rhythms and imagery of the best - I mean, when I'm at my best - of the good Southern black preachers. The lyricism of the spirituals and the directness of gospel songs and the mystery of blues are in my music or in my poetry and prose, or I missed everything.

Whining is not only graceless, but it can be dangerous. It can alert a brute that a victim is in the neighborhood.