I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings quotes about identity

If growing up is painful for the Southern Black girl, being aware of her displacement is the rust on the razor that threatens the throat.

The Black female is assaulted in her tender years by all those common forces of nature at the same time that she is caught in the tripartite crossfire of masculine prejudice, white illogical hate and Black lack of power.

She was one of the few gentlewomen I have ever known, and has remained throughout my life the measure of what a human being can be.

It seemed terribly unfair to have a toothache and a headache and have to bear at the same time the heavy burden of Blackness.

To be left alone on the tightrope of youthful unknowing is to experience the excruciating beauty of full freedom and the threat of eternal indecision.

The fact that the adult American Negro female emerges a formidable character is often met with amazement, distaste and even belligerence. It is seldom accepted as an inevitable outcome of the struggle won by survivors and deserves respect if not enthusiastic acceptance.

I was no longer simply a member of the proud graduating class of 1940; I was a proud member of the wonderful, beautiful Negro race.

Champion of the world. A Black boy. Some Black mother's son. He was the strongest man in the world.

She said that I must always be intolerant of ignorance but understanding of illiteracy.

Like most children, I thought if I could face the worst danger voluntarily, and triumph, I would forever have power over it.

If you ask a Negro where he's been, he'll tell you where he's going.

Knowing Momma, I knew that I never knew Momma.

I swear to God, I rather you have a good mind than a cute behind.

Without willing it, I had gone from being ignorant of being ignorant to being aware of being aware.

I believe most plain girls are virtuous because of the scarcity of opportunity to be otherwise.

At eleven years old, death is more unreal than frightening.

Every person I knew had a hellish horror of being “called out of his name.”