WINSTON-SALEM, N.C., April 15, 2004 (PRIMEZONE) -- The road to success if long, arduous and not clearly marked. However, for those with the determination to make the journey, the rewards are bountiful. The Path of My Pilgrimage: The Autobiography of Marshall Brent Bass (now available through AuthorHouse), is the life story of Bass told with William H. Turner, which details his rise among the first string of "corporate blacks" from a life of adversity.
Born during the Great Depression, Bass' road began in a small, impoverished North Carolina town. He came from a family of 11 children. His father died when he was 5. His love for his mother was so strong that when he was 9, he took charge of his life and decided to support himself which he has done ever since. At this early age, through perseverance and determination, he convinced two white businessmen that helping him to get a job would be a "win-win" for all. He later worked himself to the top, becoming the first black elected officer with RJR Nabisco.
The Path of My Pilgrimage is filled with dozens of vignettes on how to survive and thrive in a harsh world. With creativity, drive and determination, Bass shows how others can attract the attention of people willing to present wholesome work opportunities. Credit is given to the mentors and people who prepared and helped him along the way, but Bass also provides vital lessons on life he hopes to pass on to young readers. "Never burden yourself with so called disadvantages, wearing them about your neck like an anvil, weighing your head down," he says.
A classic story of a black American who rose to the top with the help of many people, The Path of My Pilgrimage shows how others, with the right mix of determination and creativity, can rise to the top in American society.
Along with his many other achievements, he commanded ground troops in Korea and retired from the Pentagon as a lieutenant colonel. Still active, he runs a management consulting firm and participates in a number of civic, community, church and philanthropic endeavors. He lives in North Carolina with Celeste, his wife of 50 years. They have two daughters. The Path of My Pilgrimage is his first book.
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