Reading simply didn’t exist in my upbringing. But as I grew older, it became vital to me because I discovered that literacy was truly a ticket to freedom. Once I understood a little about Black history and how it affected me, learning to read became the most important thing in my life. I was 16 years old. The very first book I ever wanted to read—and did read—was The Autobiography of Malcolm X by Alex Haley. As a young man growing up in the South during the ’60s and ’70s, it was amazing to see a Black man like Malcolm stand up and speak so eloquently on behalf of Black people. He was my first hero. Understanding the freedom that reading allows one’s mind and imagination, and declaring Malcolm X as my hero, inspired me to finally learn how to read and write.
Here, I would like to share with you some of the many books that have influenced and shaped my worldview and my life.
My mind and worldview were very small before I learned how to read. Believe it or not, I didn’t learn how to read until I was 17 years old. When I was younger, no one really took the time to notice that I was struggling in school. I pretty much got by by avoiding situations that required me to read. For example, whenever it was time to read aloud in class, I would always find an out by going to the bathroom. Because I was quiet and never caused any problems for my teachers, I flew under the radar. Furthermore, because I excelled as an athlete in football, baseball, basketball, and track, teachers would just pass me through to the next grade level.
My home life wasn’t the best, and I was never encouraged to sit down and read. I believe my mom probably had a clue that I couldn’t read when I was in the first grade. I remember her reading my name aloud after writing it on a strip of white tape and taping it to my wrist. It took a long time before I finally learned how to spell and write my own name. My mom was only 18 years old when she gave birth to me, and she knew very little about taking care of a child. Her own mother had died before she turned 15, and my mom dropped out of school before she was 17. Because of that, I doubt she read very well herself at the time.
The Autobiography of Malcom X by Alex Haley