We had a saying that we worked "from can to can't," which means working from when you can see (sunup) to when you can't (sundown).

I had decided that I would not go anywhere with a piece of paper in my hand asking white folks for any favors. I had made that decision myself, as an individual.

What I learned best at Miss White's school was that I was a person with dignity and self-respect, and I should not set my sights lower than anybody else just because I was black.

It was just a matter of survivalーlike getting off the roadーso we could exist form day to day.