Richard Williams

When I was a little boy, I grew up in Shreveport. One day, my father took me to town. He give me this money to pay this White man for something. Back in them days, Black folks weren't allowed to touch White peoples. So I went to give the man this money, and I accidently touched his hand. And he start beating on me. He knocked me down, his friends come over, they all start stomping on me and beating on me. And I look up and I see my father in the crowd, and he took off running. Left me there with these grown men beating on me. Now, I haven't been no great daddy... but I've never done nothing but try to protect you. This next step you about to take, it would... It would be hard for anybody. But for you, you not gonna just be representing you, you gonna be representing every little Black girl on Earth. And you gonna be the one gotta go through that gate. And I just never wanted you to look up... and see your daddy running away.