Either you deal with what is the reality, or you can be sure that the reality is going to deal with you. Alex Haley More Quotes by Alex Haley More Quotes From Alex Haley Most of us prefer to be as quiet as possible about giving, because every time it's publicized that we do something, if it's something of the nature of giving, we'll be doubly besieged, and you really get sick of being always criticized no matter what you do. Alex Haley sick matter giving You're always being judged. No matter what you do, it's not the right thing. If you didn't become successful, then you'd be pointed at as one of those creatures down their who didn't take advantage of this or that, who didn't climb and rise and so forth. Alex Haley advantage successful matter I travel a lot. It used to be, when I would go to any country, I could guarantee that the first question would establish my name, and the fact that I've written Roots, and the third question, at least no later than the fourth question would not be a question, so much as a statement, something like, "We understand that in America white people do such and such bad things to black people." Alex Haley guarantees-that names country I certainly wasn't seeking any degree, the way a college confers a status symbol upon its students. My homemade education gave me, with every additional book that I read, a little bit more sensitivity to the deafness, dumbness and blindness that was afflicting the black race in America. Not long ago, an English writer telephoned me, asking questions. One was, "What's your alma mater?" I told him, "Books. Alex Haley asking-questions college book I think most people when you say slavery tend to see a group of anonymous people pulling cotton sacks in great plantation fields, and that is largely true. Alex Haley groups people thinking I tell younger writers that indeed it is devastating to be rejected. You feel like the bottom dropped out of your world. Alex Haley rejected feels world In the bush, trust no one you don't know. Alex Haley trust-no-one trust knows You don't spend twenty years of your life in the service and not have a warm, nostalgic feeling left in you. It's a small service, and there's a lot of esprit de corps. Alex Haley esprit-de-corps feelings years Early in the spring of 1750, in the village of Juffure, four days upriver from the coast of The Gambia, West Africa, a manchild was born to Omoro and Binta Kinte. Alex Haley four west spring I acknowledge immense debt to the griots [tribal poets] of Africa - where today it is rightly said that when a griot dies, it is as if a library has burned to the ground. Alex Haley library debt today If you need to know history, the real story of those before you, then you should go to the library and read newspaper clippings of someone like Muhammad Ali every day, then it might giver you some understanding of the man. Alex Haley understanding real men It's an hour during the week where you can just slow down. Alex Haley slow-down hours week Indeed optimists rather than defeatists have produced the results for which serious genealogical research is best known. Alex Haley results serious research Is this how you repay my goodness--with badness?” cried the boy. “Of course,” said the crocodile out of the corner of his mouth. “That is the way of the world. Alex Haley mouths boys world But then, as far as I know, as far as I've studied or heard or picked up, it seems that this type of thing is a curse against mankind. Alex Haley curse type mankind I get interviewed a lot, and I found myself listening to what the interviewer is asking me, I'm analyzing what I'm being asked more than my response. Alex Haley analyzing asking listening I am really quite proud of most of the people I " know who have "made it," who do things to help people. Alex Haley proud helping people The anti-blackness has generated new forms of youth involvement in anti-whiteness, which in some cases is appalling. Alex Haley youth cases form Most of the things that are asked of me as a representative black person, would suggest never are we equal Americans. Alex Haley equal black persons There was a great deal of inbreeding between the Indians and the slaves. Genetically speaking, black people are some part black, some part European. Alex Haley inbreeding black people
