I Was Born In Norfolk, Virginia. I

My Theory Is, Strong People Don't Need Strong Leaders.

I Don't Think That The Leadership Of Montgomery Was Prepared To Capitalize, Let's Put It, On The Projection That Had Come Out Of The Montgomery Situation. Certainly, They Had Not Reached The Point Of Developing An Organizational Format For The Expansion Of It. So Discussions Emanated, To A Large Extent, From Up This Way.

I Had Known, Number One, That There Would Never Be Any Role For Me In The Leadership Capacity With Sclc. Why? First, I'm A Woman. Also, I'm Not A Minister. And Second, I Am A Person That Feels That I Have To Maintain Some Degree Of Personal Integrity And Be My Own Barometer Of What Is Important And What Is Not.

I Went To What Is Known As, And Was At That Time, Too, Shaw University In Raleigh, North Carolina. In Fact, Because Of The Lack Of Public School Facilities, I Began There. I Began Boarding School At The High School Level; In Fact, A Year Below The High School Level.

I Had Been Friendly With People Who Were In The Communist Party And All The Rest Of The Left Forces, Which Were Oriented In The Direction Of Mass Action.