I was born on January 17, 1899 in Brooklyn, New York to a poor immigrant family. I lived in a cramped tenement with seven other siblings. My parents had regular jobs as a barber and seamstress. They did whatever they could to make ends meet and sacrificed everything for our family. I had a lot of respect for my hard-working parents. I never had a love for education even though I was intelligent. Around sixth grade I dropped out of school to pursue a fuller life than my parents ever gave me. That began my rise to the top. I met my lulu Mae Coughlin in 1918 and had our son Sonny. She was the best thing that ever happened to me.
This American system of ours, call it Americanism, call it capitalism, call it what you will, gives each and every one of us a great opportunity if we only seize it with both hands and make the most of it. |