Abraham L. Davis's literacy narrative
Davis, Abraham L. (2011-01-13)
>>ABRAHAM L DAVIS: My parents: my father was a Baptist minister. He died at the age of 74, never made more that $100 a month in his life. My mother, obviously was a house wife because there were nine of us. My mother, even more so that my father, stressed education. I think she was saying to us, there were nine of us, that “I have a college degree but I want my kids to go further.” By stressing it worked out; all nine of my sisters and brothers have advanced degrees. 
>>ABRAHAM L DAVIS: My sister has a PhD. degree from the University of Massachusetts. I have a PhD. My brother was an open- heart surgeon. Unfortunately he died several years ago. I mean, he was a top cardiovascular surgeon in Los Angeles. My sister, Serena Davis, died two years ago, had a master's degree from Georgetown University's Law Center. In fact, she came, took it upon herself, while I was a student here, to head the NAACP. I have another brother who was a librarian, had another brother who was a penologist. I had a sister who got a master's degree from Colombia in Teacher Education.
>>ABRAHAM L DAVIS: So the emphasis that my parents put on education made it possible for all of sisters and brothers to get at least one degree, and many of my sisters and brothers got two or more degrees.