Main Body
February
February 1
I, too, sing America.
I am the darker brother.
They send me to eat in the kitchen
When company comes,
But I laugh,
And eat well,
And grow strong.
Tomorrow,
I’ll be at the table
When company comes.
Nobody’ll dare
Say to me,
“Eat in the kitchen,”
Then.
Besides,
They’ll see how beautiful I am
And be ashamed—
I, too, am America.
— Langston Hughes, “I, Too”
February 2
Behold, the Lord hath forbidden this thing; wherefore, the Lord God hath given a commandment that all men should have charity, which charity is love. And except they should have charity they were nothing. Wherefore, if they should have charity they would not suffer the laborer in Zion to perish. But the laborer in Zion shall labor for Zion; for if they labor for money they shall perish.
And again, the Lord God hath commanded that men should not murder; that they should not lie; that they should not steal; that they should not take the name of the Lord their God in vain; that they should not envy; that they should not have malice; that they should not contend one with another; that they should not commit whoredoms; and that they should do none of these things; for whoso doeth them shall perish.
For none of these iniquities come of the Lord; for he doeth that which is good among the children of men; and he doeth nothing save it be plain unto the children of men; and he inviteth them all to come unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free, male and female; and he remembereth the heathen; and all are alike unto God, both Jew and Gentile.
— 2 Nephi 26: 30-33, from the Book of Mormon, translated by Joseph Smith Jr.
February 3
I had one baby behind the next. I’m the mother of seven. I had to spend quite a lot of time with my family, because I never believed in leaving my children with anybody. I taught my kids to stand up and be counted. And I learned them to don’t be afraid of nobody. And because a man’s skin was white, he wasn’t a bit better than they was. But then I told them they weren’t any better than anybody else. You could be a dog if you wanted to or you could be a man if you wanted to. I said, ‘Nobody give respect to you–you’re going to have to take it. But you don’t have to go ’round her “Yessir, No sir, Mister, Boss” and all this kind of stuff. That wasn’t respect. And if he’s nice to you, be nice to him. Always smile first at a person to see whether he goin’ smile back. Because as long as you is a citizen of the United States’–I said not even South Carolina but the United States–’then nobody is entitled to any more than you.’
And I taught them that from babies on the breast. And all my children today–and I’m not braggin’–they’re some of the nicestest kids you ever met. You talk with ’em, you’ll want to talk with ’em again. But you’ll find out they’re not afraid of you a bit.
— Victoria De Lee, South Carolina Congressional Candidate representing the United Citizens Party, quoted in 197