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That did it. I thought I should
write my Memoirs, rather than my
Autobiography. That way I could recall
events in my life, from boyhood to
present, that might have contributed
to, or exemplify my being a Free Man
from a Black Stream. I identified
about 50 such events and selected
thirty that I considered important in
becoming and being Frank Douglas.
Second, I decided that I needed
to structure it in a manner that
demonstrated active reflection. It
was then it occurred to me that that
was what I often did on long flights
and car rides. During those times I
would reflect on significant events in
my life. That done, I worked 10- 12
hours each day and 3 months later
my rough draft was completed.
If you could tell your younger self
anything, what would it be?
I would tell my younger self that
which I want my grandchildren to
learn early. That is to know when ‘to
be silent and listen’; when to ‘keep the
sword in the scabbard’ when to ‘stiffen
the sinews and imitate the action of
the tiger’; and never to let anyone
discourage them from the pursuit
of their goals.
What are you looking forward to
most in life right now?
I am looking forward to a long,
healthy life and the return of civility
in America where we treat each other
the way we would like to be treated.
What advice would you give to your
readers?
I would ask my readers to use the
various situations that I describe in
my book as teaching opportunities; as
ways to increase diversity and inclusion
in their workplace, universities and
communities.
Tell us something about you that only
a few people know. Why is this not
known so much?
Few people know of my early
evangelical, religious background.
Of course those who read the book
will discover it. The reason is that I
consider people’s religious beliefs as
their private choice and I do not want
to be distracted by the discrepancies
between what they profess and the
behaviors they demonstrate. In
general, I keep my private life private
and avoid inviting acquaintances and
strangers to comment on it.
Give us one word that best describes
you. Explain why.
Forward-thinking. The words I hear
frequently, when people describe me,
are: humble, innovative, resilient,
determined, thinks outside of the box.
I choose Forward-thinking because I
have never included the word failure
in my vocabulary or attitude. There
might be unwanted or unexpected
outcomes, but for me, they both
present incredible opportunities to
discover and do new things. They are
not to be treated as ‘setbacks’.
In totality, what is the message of your
book and you as an author?
In totality, the message of my book
is that adherence to a strong set of
values, hard work and perseverance
-the components of True Grit- will
overcome all manmade obstacles. A
strong value-system helps one adapt
to changes in life.
AUTHORIAL
authorial magazine | 7