“I was chastised for writing several obituaries for Malcolm X, explorin...” — Ntozake Shange Quote

“I was chastised for writing several obituaries for Malcolm X, exploring different aspects of his writing. One teacher in particular told me, didn't I think I was beating a dead horse? and dismissively threw my paper on my desk.”

“My characters don't talk necessarily in a normal American way of talking. They talk a little different.”

“Luckily, my father and my mother liked us to talk, so they encouraged us to talk, so that the girls in my house, they're all very powerful speakers and powerful agents of their own will, as is my brother.”

“Artists probably should have some impenetrable aspects of themselves.”

“Now that I'm staring down the barrel of the last act of my life, I'm less excited about control and solo effort, and I resent the way the business aspects interfere with my space for creative writing.”

“There are many aspects of the government that operate off a continuing resolution. It's difficult to do so for the military.”