"Hurston contended (1981) that many white writers have erroneously and callously tried to influence readers into believing that the African Americans' mode of speaking is a "weird thing," full of "ams" and "Ises," and lacking in grammatical rules and patterns that govern its use" (p. 67). This quote affirms my understanding of how African American folklore, along with the language used in it, has been misrepresented and exploited throughout history. It highlights the importance of critically examining the portrayal of African American culture, as even the language spoken by African Americans was distorted to perpetuate stereotypes.