The story About two years, true for the most part so too are the stories of my new book the way I heard it if you'd like an autograph copy, I've set a few aside for fans of the pod cast, which you can pick up at micro dot com, slash book. If you don't care about my autograph than go to micro, dotcom, Slash book anyway to fight the best price the book is available, pretty much anywhere. Books are sold, Barnes and Noble Walmart targets, books, a million has em of the place. Hudson has them Amazon, of course, but the prices change all the time, so click around at micro dot com to see who's got what for

much the reviews raw, pretty much five star very flattering New York times- calls at best seller. I think it would make a dandy Christmas present. People still say dandy anymore. I don't know, but your copy awaits at micro dotcom, Slash book. This is the way I heard the doktor believed a person had a right to We called whatever they wanted to be called. It was a simple believe she repeated allowed many times over the course of her long and remarkable life, a belief that served her well even before she became a doctor As a little girl in Arkansas traumatized by an unspeakable act of violence, the doktor who was not yet a doctor refused to be,

while the victim, even though she'd been molested it just seven years of age, she preferred to be called a survivor, and so she was because a person had a right to be called whatever. They wanted to be called. Years later after she regained her ability to speak. The survivor worked as a pimp in San Diego and then a prostitute. She wasn't exactly proud of her new fashion, but nor was she ashamed, and so the doktor who was not yet a doctor. Used her real name Marguerite and made sure her clients remembered it because a person had a right to be called whatever they wanted to be called in

Francisco when Marguerite, went looking for honest work. She applied for a job that no woman had ever done before they laughed at her said she was uppity Marguerite, ignored all that, because she wanted to be called a street car conductor, which is exactly what she became: the first black female street car conductor in America. Why? Because the doktor who was not yet a doctor, believed a person had a to be called whatever they wanted to be called, but of course, that little glimpse of blue collar fame. Paled. Next to her many scholarly achievements in item seventy five Marguerite acquired a Phd from Psmith College. Other degrees would follow and soon she accepted a professorship at Wake Forest University in time. The poor kid from Arkansas became a best selling author fluent in five language,

this along the way she wrote, poetry and place. She got herself nominated for a Pulitzer Prize and Tony. She also one five Grammy awards. Funny thing, though, in spite of her remarkable voice, she was rarely introduced as a singer, because the survivor who used to be called Marguerite, still believed a purse and had a right to be called whatever they wanted and what she wanted to be called was doktor, and so she was on Twitter. She amended her handle to include the title of doktor and her millions of fans addressed her accordingly, as did the faculty at wake forest. And all those who introduced her at formal gatherings from that day forward, which is you can find her name on

no less than thirty medical institutions all over the country when she died on May twenty Eightth, two thousand fourteen wake forest released a statement that Red quote the doktor was a national treasure whose life and teachings inspired millions of people all over the world. As word of her passing, spread reporters and journalists began to write eulogies and tributes, recalling with great affection, the famous doktor who rose from abject poverty, to serve at the pleasure of both Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter, the same doktor, whose tireless commitment to civil rights earned her countless awards, including the presidential metal of freedom, the highest toward a civilian, can receive. The outpouring of affection was well.

Learned, but in the rush to celebrate this remarkable woman, the media overlooked something they overlook. The fact that the doctor wasn't really a doctor sure she had a Phd fifty them. In fact, many from America's most prestigious universities, but all of her doktor degrees were honorary. The fact is: wake forests. Most famous professor was not only not a doktor, she wasn't even a college graduate. Obviously this is not a scandal. Lots of brilliant thinkers, never graduate college Lots of famous trophy collectors have honorary degrees hanging in their dens MIKE Tyson has one so does Yoko ono and p ditty Oprah, Winfrey, Alec, Baldwin, even at the frog was awarded an honorary Phd from Hampton College back in eighteen. Ninety six but of course, risk

sensible journalists, don't write about the latest movie from Doktor, Alec Baldwin or the latest album from Doktor p ditty doing so would be disrespectful to the people who have actually earned the title, and yet just a few hours after her death, social media and cable news were flooded with headlines about the death of a famous doktor who had done absolutely nothing to earn the title when asked to explain why they deliberately described there. Most esteemed profess as something they knew. She wasn't wake forest issued a brief statement that Red quote, because that's what the doctor wished to be called. Maybe one day will all get to be remembered by the titles we choose for ourselves, maybe trade, school rules will start handing out honorary certifications for people. We want to be remembered as plumbers and electricians

Maybe the army will start a war. Honorary bronze stars to people who to be remembered as heroes, maybe when every one in the car three gets an honorary phd. We can all rest easy you're in the knowledge that a doctor is always in the house, regardless her desire to be called something. She wasn't doesn't change the person she was a little girl called Marguerite, who grew up to become America's first black email street car conductor, a beloved writer who told us why the caged bird sings a poet, a pimp, a prostitute and a survivor who preferred to be called a doctor.

And was thanks to a university and oppress Corps that was willing to do just what the doctor ordered an honorary doktor, nay, my Angelou anyway. That's why I heard.