“I am not ashamed of my grandparents for having been slaves. I am only ashamed of myself for having at one time been ashamed.”
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Source
Invisible Man, 1952
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About Ralph Ellison
Novelist whose Invisible Man remains one of the most important works in American literature — a searing portrait of Black identity.
Explore all Ralph Ellison quotes →Identity at BIQ
This quote speaks to the pillar of Identity — the clarity to know who you are, where you come from, and what you stand for. Self-knowledge has long been a form of resistance and a foundation for liberation.
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