QuoteProject
The black masses must demand and refuse to accept nothing less than that proportionate percentage of the political spoils such as jobs, elective offices and appointments... They must reject the shameful racial tokenism that characterizes the political life of America today.
Adam Clayton Powell, Jr.
ShareWTF𝕏

Interpretation

What this quote means

The quote emphasizes the need for marginalized groups to demand equitable representation and reject tokenism in political opportunities.

Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. articulates the essential requirement for Black Americans to actively pursue equitable political representation and opportunities rather than settling for superficial gestures or tokenism. He highlights the importance of demanding a fair share of political power and resources, stressing that anything less is unacceptable in the ongoing fight for true equality in America.

Themes

PoliticsRepresentationTokenismEqualityActivism

In practice

Example use cases

This quote could be cited in a speech advocating for increased representation of marginalized groups in local government.

More from Adam Clayton Powell, Jr.

During past years, like frightened children, we were afraid to eat the strong meat of human rights and instead sucked the milk of civil rights from the breasts of white liberals, black Uncle Toms, and Aunt Jemimas.
Adam Clayton Powell, Jr.Read
Tremendous changes are taking place in our country, eradicating the concept of second-class citizenship.
Adam Clayton Powell, Jr.Read
Where Negroes provide 20 percent of the vote, they should have 20 per cent of the jobs.
Adam Clayton Powell, Jr.Read
I am the product of the sustained indignation of a branded grandfather, the militant protest of my grandmother, the disciplined resentment of my father and mother, and the power of the mass action of the church.
Adam Clayton Powell, Jr.Read
Unless man is committed to the belief that all mankind are his brothers, then he labors in vain and hypocritically in the vineyards of equality.
Adam Clayton Powell, Jr.Read

Similar quotes

The Sudanese government has been playing games with the world, with the Africa Union, in particular, have been playing for time in order to conclude its mission of ethnic cleansing in the Sudan.
Wole SoyinkaRead
Optimism comes less easily today, not because democracy is less vigorous, but because democracy's enemies have refined their instruments of repression.
Ronald ReaganRead
You call that statesmanship. I call it an emotional spasm.
Aneurin BevanRead
Socialism in Russia has not brought about an improvement in the conditions of the average man which can be compared with the improvement of conditions, during the same period, in the United States.
Ludwig Von MisesRead
The Prime Minister has an absolute genius for putting flamboyant labels on empty luggage.
Aneurin BevanRead
You begin to realize that hypocrisy is not a terrible thing when you see what overt fascism is compared to sort of covert, you know, communal politics which the Congress has never been shy of indulging in.
Arundhati RoyRead

A little wisdom, now and then

Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.