He Was Trying To Convince Himself That

Each Of Us Is Born With A History Already In Place

When I Began To Read, I Began To Exist

People Told Me To Give Up Trying To Be Special And Settle Down To A Regular Life. There Ain't Nothing Wrong With A Regular Life, And That's The Lord's Truth...but It Wasn't For Me, Because I Wanted To Be Something Special. I Knew How Easy It Was For A Dream To Die. I Seen That All Around Me. You Could Let It Die By Just Looking The Other Way.

There Is A Crisis Involving Reading In Certain Communities.

The Idea Of Voluntary Segregation Went Against Every Value I Had Been Taught. What Did Being Born Black Have To Do With Excellence?