The March on Washington was a March for Jobs and Freedom. There are still too many people who are unemployed or underemployed in America - they're black, white, Latino, Native American and Asian American.
John LewisRead
My parents told me in the very beginning as a young child when I raised the question about segregation and racial discrimination, they told me not to get in the way, not to get in trouble, not to make any noise.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote reflects the lessons taught by parents about avoiding conflict and staying safe in the face of injustice.
John Lewis shares a poignant memory of his childhood, highlighting the advice given by his parents regarding segregation and racial discrimination. They urged him to remain quiet and not to cause trouble, which reflects a common sentiment among marginalized communities who were advised to avoid confrontation and maintain safety. This statement embodies the struggle between the desire for justice and the fear of the consequences of standing up against societal wrongs.
Themes
SegregationDiscriminationCourageParentsAdvocacy
In practice
Example use cases
Using this quote in a speech about civil rights can contextualize the hesitance of individuals to engage in activism.
More from John Lewis
All quotes →The scars and stains of racism are still deeply embedded in the American society.
John LewisRead
Customs, traditions, laws should be flexible, within good reason, if that is what it takes to make our democracy work.
John LewisRead
I say to people today, 'You must be prepared if you believe in something. If you believe in something, you have to go for it. As individuals, we may not live to see the end.'
John LewisRead
We need someone who is going to stand up, speak up, and speak out for the people who need help, for the people who have been discriminated against.
John LewisRead
If it hadn't been for that march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge on Bloody Sunday, there would be no Barack Obama as President of the United States of America.
John LewisRead
Similar quotes
There are deaths in public places on the grounds that the victim is gay.
Ian MckellenRead
I think it is selfish for me to try to frame Me Too as something that I own. It is bigger than me and bigger than Alyssa Milano. Neither one of us should be centered in this work. This is about survivors.
Tarana BurkeRead
I headed towards the mountain, which was an almost irresistible beacon to my storm self. It glowed with heat, pressure, and turbulence—everything a little dust devil like me could want.
Rick RiordanRead
You just need to be a flea against injustice. Enough committed fleas biting strategically can make even the biggest dog uncomfortable and transform even the biggest nation.
Marian Wright EdelmanRead
The persecution of Jews in occupied Poland meant that we could see horror emerging gradually in many ways. In 1939, they were forced to wear Jewish stars, and people were herded and shut up into ghettos. Then, in the years '41 and '42 there was plenty of public evidence of pure sadism. With people behaving like pigs, I felt the Jews were being destroyed. I had to help them. There was no choice.
Oskar SchindlerRead
Non-violence is a very powerful weapon. Most people don't understand the power of non-violence and tend to be amazed by the whole idea. Those who have been involved in bringing about change and see the difference between violence and non-violence are firmly committed to a lifetime of non-violence, not because it is easy or because it is cowardly, but because it is an effective and very powerful way.
Cesar ChavezRead