52 Quotes by Mavis Staples

One day, when I was about eight years old, some kids pushed me on stage at school during a talent show because they knew I could sing.

My uncle was 16, in junior high, and he heard me singing and snatched me off the stage. I thought he was happy and was going to pat me on the head and say I was good. But he took me home and told my grandmother this youngin' was at school singing the blues.

I started writing letters home to my mother, saying that I wanted to come home, grandma won't let me sing.

I would get in fights a lot. My voice was so heavy, kids would say you sound like a boy, so I would start beating them up.

I have to pinch myself sometimes. It's unbelievable, but it's not. Because I know that this would not be happening if it hadn't been for Dr. Martin Luther King.

If I wasn't my age, I would turn a flip. I would do some cartwheels. That's how I feel.

I was not fortunate enough to run into Obama. We were at the same church per se, but I would never be there when he was there.

I'm old enough to be Obama's grandmom. But I still like seeing good-looking things. Nothing wrong with that.

Well Lord, I'm still on the case. I'm still doing what Dr. King and Pops want me to do. I'm still on that freedom highway, and I'm going to walk on it until Dr. King's dream is realized.