Rep. Keith Ellison ‘My Country Tis of Thee’ book excerpt: From the Black Bottom to Cane River

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My mother usually worked outside of the home, but she was involved in the PTA and the neighborhood watch, she came to our various sports games, and she was very active in the community.

When we were all old enough to go to school, she went to work at my father’s practice, running his office. But she was always home in time to cook us dinner. She was the one who made sure that we had lunch packed for school, did our homework, and got to bed on time. She was a disciplinarian, but her biggest threat when we misbehaved was “I’m going to tell your father.” None of us wanted that. We were all scared of that. We didn’t want her telling him anything.

We kept in line—all five boys—primarily because our mom instilled in us a sense of right and wrong. We didn’t get into much trouble, because to have done so would have reflected poorly on her.

I believe she was the right woman to raise five boys because she had the right father to raise her. My grandfather may have died before we came along, but my mom made sure we knew about him.  She embodied a lot of his strength and wisdom. His picture hangs in my home as a reminder. And I’m certain that it’s the spirit of Frank Martinez that enabled my mom to bring up five boys. She knew exactly how to handle each of us.

While my father showed us valuable lessons through example—getting up every day and going to work, working hard, demanding excellence from himself and everyone around him, and carrying himself with immense pride—my mother was more hands-on in teaching us values, humanity, and what it meant to love one another.

Together they raised five men who by society’s standards have done well. Because of our parents, my brothers and I had a chance to live the American dream. I can speak for them when I say that we all, in our own ways, work to extend it to everyone.