March 20, 1957 in Atlanta ,Georgia. The first of five children, he

got the nickname Spike from his mother for being "a tough baby".

Spike's tendency to be difficult is one that goes right back to the

crib. The infant Spike, much like the man he grew into, was small

but loud. The family he was born into was great for a number of

reasons. His parents, college educated newlyweds, both came

from families stressing creativity and black tradition. Bill Lee, Spikes

father, was born in 1929 in Snow Hill Alabama. He was a jazz

composer/musician nicknamed "Bleek". His mother Jacquelyn

Shelton Lee taught art and black history. The Lees tried to instill a

sense of humor in their children, along with educating them in

black culture. They rationed the young ones' TV time, Forbade

rock music, In favor of jazz and folk, and had each offspring learn

to play a instrument. Spike, a shy, quiet boy, took guitar and

piano lessons. He also played and loved every type of sport.

Spike denies that he ever had any thoughts of becoming a film

maker in those early years. Becoming one of very few black film

makers has made Spike a black African American

contrary to what some racial radicals proclaim, there are few of

acclaimed movie director/ producer/ writer/ actor, is the most

b. "Anybody who's black knows you have to be two or

b. Lee is trying to make the world a better place.

white can ever really know what it means to be a different color-

Some common words found in the essay are:
Spike Lee, Van Peables, Yes Spike, Focus Spike, Spike I'm, TV Forbade, Spike Patterson, Atlanta Georgia, Spike Parish, Martins Corsese, spike lee, black people, african americans, african american, shelton jackson, 1 spike, aware means black, argues spike, black african, i'm trying, jackson spike, jackson spike lee, means black america, spike lee hero, shelton jackson spike,
Approximate Word count = 2061
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)