I first learned that there were black people living in some place called other than the United States in the western hemisphere when I was a very little boy, and my father told me that when he was a boy about my age, he wanted to be an Episcopal priest, because he so admired his priest, a black man from someplace called Haiti.

- Henry Louis Gates

Henry Louis Gates recounts a childhood memory of learning about black people living outside the United States, specifically in Haiti, from his father. This anecdote highlights the importance of intergenerational knowledge sharing and the impact of personal experiences on one's worldview.

This quote emphasizes the significance of cultural exchange and the interconnectedness of human experiences across geographical boundaries.

The quote provides a glimpse into the author's childhood and his exposure to diverse cultures, which may have influenced his later work as a scholar and public intellectual.

Henry Louis Gates is a renowned American scholar, writer, and television host. He is the Director of the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research at Harvard University and has written extensively on African American history and culture.

Share your reaction to see another quote.