LA: What is the most memorable experience you have had with these women?
CMB: They all left a lasting impression. But Maya Angelou was the most memorable. She had not come to Chicago to see me but for some other reason. This guy greets us as we enter the hotel to have lunch. She stopped him. In an imposing voice, she said, “No. You mean Senator Mosley-Braun.” She straightened him and it was as if he had backed up.
LA: As she should.
CMB: He did, indeed. She was a firm believer in protocol and I can now see why she acted that way. She put him on his back so hard, that at first, I thought, this poor man, he doesn’t really mean it. It was only after I realized why she did it that I learned an important lesson.
Gloria Steinem on the other hand was straight-forward and fearless, but was a great example of how not to let anything get under your skin. Though I must admit, I still do. It was because of her that I learned to stay strong and not let anyone get in the way.
LA: As you said, it’s much easier to talk about Gloria Steinem than to actually do. How did you come to that conclusion over the years. What have you learned from her?
CMB: You have to be able to define yourself and not let anyone else define you.
LA: You spoke out against the Confederate Flag on the Senate Floor. How did you reach the point that you felt you had to address this issue on the Senate Floor? What did you think of it as a symbol and presence in America, and what prompted you to do so?
CMB: A staffer told me I was in the Judiciary Committee when one of my co-workers was trying to renew the patent on the Confederate flag. They had done this for, I believe, 20 years. The routine was not wrong, but I thought it was. It was also important not to allow a trademark on the Confederate Flag. After many false begins, I won that battle.
I was able to win in part due to the Senator from Alabama, who was a very old man. He is no longer here, but was a wonderful person. Howell Heflin, his name was. He stood up to say that his grandfather was a Confederate general and that the bill was wrong. He also said that people should pay attention to what I had to say about the implications of the bill for the world. He encouraged a “no” vote on renewal. That’s how I won.
