nikki giovanni was there. rita dove s s there. toni cade bambara was ththere. itit was a w writers'' mecc. and d i was there sitting at the table taking it all in. and as i look backck, that day remains one of the e great thrilllls of my li. you know, i didn't rereally g go speak k to toni morrison that d. i was just too b bedazzled. but i had already previously called her upp to ask about acquiring the film rights toto "beloved." after i finished reaeading it, i found heher number, called he, and when i asked her, "is it true that sometimes people have to read over your work in order to understand it, to get the full meaning?" and shshe bluntly replied, "tha, mymy dear, is calllled readin" [laughter] i was embarrassed. but that statement a actually ge me the confidence years later when i formemed the book club on the oprah shohow to choose her work. i chose more of her bobooks thn any otother author over the yea. "song of sololomon," first, "sulula," "the bluest eye" and "paradise." and if any one of our viewers ever complained thatat it was hard going or chal

. >> >> due to a family illness, nikki giovanni is unable to be with us today.ead her original helen for this occasion, please welcome jacqueline stone cochair of the american revolution first africans to english north america committee. >> >> a problem by nikki giovanni. 1619 jamestown but not only. an answer to the new york times. there may be a time limit but there is no time limit to change. that is not will not cannot change. no matter what the color the people or the language they speak, no matter which god is served, no matter which food is eaten or forbidden, which clothes are worn or not, no matter the hair covered or shaved, no matter how we look at it, there have been slaves. every civilization or rather most reach a point where slavery is recognized as wrong or in some cases a bad idea. or perhaps more accurately those who used to sell slaves now no longer have the currency or the strength to control the lives of human beings so they create a lie for the same purpose. i often wondered when i think of the murder of jesus what he and simon talked about

thank you, all, so much. [ applause ] >> announcer: due to a family illness, nikki giovanni is unableiginal poem for this occasion, please welcome jacqueline e. stone, co-chair of the american evolution 29 commemoration first africans to english north america committee. [ applause ] >> a poem by nikki giovanni. "1619, jamestown but not only. an answer to "the new york times." there may be a time limit, but there is no time limit to change that does not, will not, cannot change. no matter what the color the people or language they speak, no matter which god is served, no matter which food is eaten or forbidden, which clothes are worn or not, no matter the hair covered or shaved, no matter how we look at it, there have been slaves. every civilization, or rather, most, reach a point where slavery is recognized as wrong or in some cases simply a bad idea, or, perhaps, more accurately, those who used to sell slaves now no longer have the currency or strength to control the lives of human beings so they create a lie on a supreme court for the same purpose. i have often wondered when i think