Merrill Guillory

Voices Merrill Guillory

Merrill Guillory releases memories from ancestors over generations. He exposes the pain suffered by those too white to be black and yet too black to be white. The dilemma creates a schizophrenic world that Guillory won't let us forget. As U. S. society becomes more multiracial, let's hope that these hurdles of racial identity will be overcome. We are who we are -- let no one question it! Elaine Parker Adams, Author of The Reverend Peter W. Clark: Sweet Preacher and Steadfast Reformer and Haiku BouillabaisseMerrill Guillory is a skilled memoirist whose special talent rewards his readers with perceptive insights into human behavior. He discerns the essential characteristics of an individual and his cultural mores and tells a much larger story. Through poetry and prose, Merrill delves into the heart of the human spirit, sharing his gift for insight and discernment to leave readers with a deeper understanding of nature, humanity, culture, and history. Carolyn Griffin, Retired EducatorMerrill Guillory is a gifted storyteller who uses poetry and prose to share his people's story. Each ethnic, cultural, and racial group of people in America has a unique story that should be blended into overall American history but often is not. Much like the ingredients of a gumbo (a uniquely Louisiana savory soup), each group of people adds to the overall flavor of American culture while remaining distinctly different. Merrill vividly captures and shares what it means to grow up Black in southern Louisiana. For those of us who were born with skin too dark for some and too light for others, Merrill's work is a must read. At the same time, he tells the story of all people who have felt the sting of being judged by an accident of birth and not the essence of who we are. Deacon Harold J. Nixon