I Learned Early That Crying Out In

Malcolm X

I learned early that crying out in protest could accomplish things. my older brothers and sister had started to school when, sometimes, they would come in and ask for a buttered biscuit or something and my mother, impatiently, would tell them no. but i would cry out and make a fuss until i got what i wanted. i remember well how my mother asked me why i couldn't be a nice boy like wilfred; but i would think to myself that wilfred, for being so nice and quiet, often stayed hungry. so early in life, i had learned that if you want something, you had better make some noise.