Ralph Ellison

"By and large, the critics and readers gave me an affirmed sense of my identity as a writer. You might know this within yourself, but to have it affirmed by others is of utmost importance. Writing is, after all, a form of communication."

"Education is all a matter of building bridges."

"The understanding of art depends finally upon one's willingness to extend one's humanity and one's knowledge of human life."

"Some people are your relatives but others are your ancestors, and you choose the ones you want to have as ancestors. You create yourself out of those values."