... I am a Black man, a man of Afrikan descent who writes. Writing picked me. I am not a born
or trained writer. I did not plan or choose writing as a vocation. I use writing as a weapon,
offensively and defensively, to help raise the consciousness of myself and my people. At earlier
times in my life I may have written for somewhat personal reasons, but I now write for theses
five: 1) For the total, uncompromising Liberation of Black people. 2) For the creation of a just
world-order where each and every person is able to reach his or her highest potential and in
doing so not violate the cultural or human rights of his or her neighbors as we all strive to live
and develop in an atmosphere of productive peace. 3) Writing is the most lasting and the major
(yet limiting) form of communications that I have access to that reaches a good number of Black
people. 4) Writing is a cleansing, dialectical, meditative and communicative process that helps
keep me honest and committed to struggle, keeps me open minded and active among those I
dearly care for, many of whom I do not have daily contact with. 5) I love my people and know
that greatness we have in us and know that greatness, at this time in our lives, must be
continuously pushed and forced out of us if we are to survive and develop as a people. Writing
is one of the enforcers that I use....
-- above except taken from Introduction (page ii-iii)
Haki R. Madhubuti
Institute of Positive Education
April, 1977
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Title
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PART TWO: LIFE-STUDIES TWO
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PART FOUR: DECISIONS and MOVEMENT
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