Vernon Can Read!: A Memoir

Which raises the question: What constitutes merit? Who gets to decide what ingredients go into the mix to make up what is often a very subjective judgment of a person's capabilities? These questions were (and are) critical, given the role merit plays in maintaining the status quo. Peoplein power, in any field or society, have a vested interest in b

have the means to do that.

I admire the story of Ruth Simmons, the president of Brown University, the first black woman to hold that position, who was once asked by an interviewer why she got a Ph.D. in French literature. Her reply was perfect. "Because everything in the world belongs to me," she said. She knew that such a question would never have been asked of a

reached the point where I was beginning to wonder if I had not come to the end of the road there-an inner warning signal that should never be ignored in any job or career. When you feel it's time to go, then you should go if you

presented as a requirement (on pain of being labeled a traitor) that all blacks must think alike, act alike, and choose from the same narrow set of acceptable aspirations. Strangely enough, those aspirations have often been defined by white people like the NBC correspondent and the head of the foundation who did not think blacks should be business

ONE OF MY GREAT FORTUNES in life is that I have had the chance to do work that fit well with my personal interests and goals. It is very difficult, if not impossible over a long period of time, to achieve excellence in any endeavor when one does not have a feel for or lacks interest in the job or role one has taken on. My

"You have to write," he told me at the very beginning of my tenure. It was crucial, he said, to get my thoughts and ideas out into circulation beyond my own organization. People could agree or disagree, but most important, they would get the chance to know something about me and my ideas. In addition, the process of writing is helpful. Pu

I didn't feel comfortable making the decision on my own, and as I've always done before and since, I decided to speak with people whose

mother's example was very instructive on this point. She was so comfortable with the demands of her chosen trade that she approached artistry in plying it. The attention to detail, the willingness to go the extra mile to make sure things were done the right way, evinced a soul that had found its true calling.