Cassius Clay is a name that white people gave to my slave master. Now that I am free, that I don't belong anymore to anyone, that I'm not a slave anymore, I gave back their white name, and I chose a beautiful African one.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
As long as I sit at Henry Clay's desk, I will remember his lifelong desire to forge agreement, but I will also keep close to my heart the principled stand of his cousin, Cassius Clay, who refused to forsake the life of any human, simply to find agreement.
The only hero known to my childhood was Henry Clay.
My name, Solange, means 'Angel of the sun,' and I'm completely enamored of my African history. The culture is so expressive.
My name is Arsenio. That's a very unique name for a black man. In Greek, it means Leroy.
What white man can say I never stole his land or a penny of his money? Yet they say that I am a thief.
For me, my 'X' replaced the white slave master name of 'Little' which some blue-eyed devil named Little had imposed on my parental forebears.
The real names of our people were destroyed during slavery. The last name of my forefathers was taken from them when they were brought to America and made slaves, and then the name of the slave master was given, which we refuse, we reject that name today and refuse it. I never acknowledge it whatsoever.
Since, in the best Southern tradition, I was named Edmund Valentine White III, sometimes when people look up my books on Amazon they find 'Chocolate Drops from the South' by my grandfather.
All black Americans have slave names. They have white names; names that the slave master has given to them.
Never put your money against Cassius Clay, for you will never have a lucky day.