“I know my grandfather drank occasionally socially, what we call "taking a sip." And my father never touched the bottle. He condemned my grandfather for doing that, and his punishment to his father was when my grandfather came to visit him from Georgia, he would not allow my grandfather to preach in his church.Even though my classmates very often drank alcohol in my presence and they would try and get me to join in, I felt, no, I didn't need that.” KnowsNeedsTryingFatherFeltChurchAlcoholPunishmentTouchedBottlesGrandfatherDrankMy GrandfatherGeorgiaClassmates Author:David C. Driskell
“My sister was like my surrogate mother here, in Washington, with very much of the same persuasions as my mother. Even when friends came from home that I knew were more socially adaptable to the mores of the time, she would always caution me and say, "Be careful if you're going out with so and so because you know such and such a thing could happen." It was that kind of guardianship, and concern that imprinted me.” IfsKnowsKindHomeHappensMotherConcernCarefulMy SisterBe CarefulGoing OutPersuasionCautionAdaptableSurrogatesGuardianship Author:David C. Driskell
“I think my criticism of the Pentecostal tradition that I heard with my sister's church was that it wasn't always audible. You couldn't quite figure out what was going on. And then, the people would very often do what they call speaking in tongues and I didn't know what they were saying. My father used to always say that if it can't be understood, then it's not the good news or not the gospel.” PeopleIfsThinkingKnowsUsedFatherChurchHeardFiguresNewsUnderstoodTraditionCriticismTongueMy SisterGood NewsPentecostalSpeaking In Tongues Author:David C. Driskell
“Even when I became cognizant of this societal problem in this country, I asked my father and my mother if they knew anything that had been passed on to them, about slavery, and my father was very reticent about it. He often said, "No, I don't know anything about it, and it was bad, it was awful and it's over and we want to get on with our lives."” IfsKnowsWantSaidCountryProblemMotherFatherOur LivesSlaveryAwfulCognizant Author:David C. Driskell
“In 1951 I took my first art course. And one day I looked over my shoulder and there was this tall gentleman standing, very well-dressed and groomed, and he asked, "What is your name? I don't know you. What is your major?" I said history. And he looked at my drawing and looked at me and said, "You don't belong over there; you belong here." He was James A. Porter.” KnowsFirstsWellsArtSaidCoursesNamesOne DayMajorsStandingDrawingShouldersGentlemanTallWell Dressed Author:David C. Driskell
“I grew up with a sense of tolerance. I don't know that there was any talk about gender differences. It was respect for people. So when I became a professional and saw that there were a lot of differences in the sense of how people lived their lives, I became respectful of their territory, of their thoughts and their ideas, and it was never a problem for me to feel that this is my sister, this is my brother.” PeopleKnowsFeelsIdeasProblemDifferencesSawsBrotherGrewGrew UpGenderToleranceMy BrotherTerritoryMy SisterRespectfulGender Differences Author:David C. Driskell
