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Wade in the Water

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“You need to love yourself first, Ella. DOn't go searching for love in other people's eyes until you love yourself first. You come from somewhere beautiful.”

Love Self Love Respect Find Yourself

Book:Wade in the Water

Source: Wade in the Water

“I'm afraid for Ray. These young ones aren't afraid of anything. They know about what happened during the height of the movement, but they can't feel it. Knowing it and living it are two different things. It's history to them. They don't know what we've seen. Can you imagine what would happen if that lady got it in her head to call the police on some pretext or other? Why, they would sweep through this place, arresting all our boys and men over the age of thirteen. Remember the killing of those three boys turning out to vote? Remember Emmett Till?”

Fear History Imagine Movement Racism Knowing Vs Living

Book:Wade in the Water

Source: Wade in the Water

“I could never imagine them weeping and hollering and fainting, because I knew only black folk did that. Surely we were the only ones to feel the pain deep down in our marrow so that it had to come forth, spewing up in moans and groans and chants, till we felt better. I wondered how they kept their pain all twisted and knotted up inside, like a corked bottle.”

Pain Loss Sorrow Mourning Unfeeling

Book:Wade in the Water

Source: Wade in the Water

“One night, not long after signing over his inheritance, Nate said something to a customer that I overheard and would never forget. He said that he'd finally realized that he had never been the puppeteer, controlling his own destiny. Instead, he now realized that black people were just puppets on strings. The strings were so long that they reached far above them - so far out of their vision that they never saw or knew who the puppet masters were. He only knew that when they yanked at the strings and said to dance, he had no choice but to dance.”

Freedom Masters Puppets Compliance

Book:Wade in the Water

Source: Wade in the Water

“Ella, let me give you a piece of advice. You feel too much, and everything you feel is right there on that face of yours. It's in your voice. You've got to close that face of yours or people will keep hurting you. Put on a skin of toughness and hide yourself. You know, like a crab.”

Pain Hurt Armor Toughness Shield

Book:Wade in the Water

Source: Wade in the Water

“Didn't I tell you? They all turn. He done beat the very devil into here.”

Evil Hurt Anger Physical Abuse

Book:Wade in the Water

Source: Wade in the Water

“I looked past the bloodied face I saw in the mirror, taking in my midnight-black skin that was shades darker than any person's I knew in Ricksville, my generous mouth, and my wide nose, so different from the rest of my family. How odd it felt to be looking at myself with someone else's eyes. It was then I understood what Ma felt towards me. And it was there, in that bathroom, staring into my face, that I realized the only person I had ever really hated was me.”

Pain Hate Mirror Self Loathing

Book:Wade in the Water

Source: Wade in the Water