We had an interesting thing at that first dinner. It was prior to the availability of several new hotels in Los Angeles, and we were more or less committed to the old Ambassador Hotel that has the famous Coconut Grove.

President Johnson offered the middle of the road.

I think that our primary concern is that the membership in our industry become active. I'm not talking about the candidates being active. I'm talking about the few hundred thousand people who work in the industry around the United States.

Well, it was a typical meeting with the President. He was very gracious, very outgoing.

My personal life was very important for me, the people I am with, my friends, where I go.

Any successful black person will have to face suspicion within his or her own community about his or her loyalty to other blacks.

When my son was growing up, I was always guilty, no matter what I did. Make decisions and be happy with the decisions you've made. I tell myself, in the long run, it's the love, the quality of relationships that you have with your family, your friends and giving back to the community that matters.

My father belongs to a different generation altogether. He has spent most of his time working hard to make our lives comfortable, and ours is more of a conventional father-son relationship rather than one of friends.