You are on the eve of a complete victory. You can't go wrong. The world is behind you.
Josephine BakerRead
I ran away from home. I ran away from St. Louis, and then I ran away from the United States of America, because of that terror of discrimination, that horrible beast which paralyzes one's very soul and body.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote expresses the deep fear and pain caused by discrimination, leading one to seek escape from oppressive environments.
Josephine Baker's quote reveals the profound impact of discrimination on an individual's spirit and well-being. She describes discrimination as a 'horrible beast' that not only terrifies but also paralyzes a person's essence, prompting her to flee from multiple places in search of freedom. This highlights the struggle against societal injustices and the lengths to which one might go to find solace and acceptance.
Themes
DiscriminationFreedomEscapeCourageIdentity
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be shared during a discussion on civil rights activism.
More from Josephine Baker
All quotes →I ran away from St. Louis, and then I ran away from the United States, because of that terror of discrimination.
Josephine BakerRead
Friends, to me for years St. Louis represented a city of fear... humiliation... misery and terror... A city where in the eyes of the white man a Negro should know his place and had better stay in it.
Josephine BakerRead
I did take the blows [of life], but I took them with my chin up, in dignity, because I so profoundly love and respect humanity.
Josephine BakerRead
You must get an education. You must go to school, and you must learn to protect yourself. And you must learn to protect yourself with the pen, and not the gun.
Josephine BakerRead
I have walked into the palaces of kings and queens and into the houses of presidents. And much more.
Josephine BakerRead
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