I don't want to not be African. The goal is to live in a world where my race doesn't limit my access, where I can see myself represented in the highest level of society without any limitation.
Kerry WashingtonRead
The breakdown of the black community, in order to maintain slavery, began with the breakdown of the black family. Men and women were not legally allowed to get married because you couldn't have that kind of love. It might get in the way of the economics of slavery. Your children could be taken from you and literally sold down the river.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The disruption of Black family structures was a strategic move to sustain slavery and prevent love and unity.
Kerry Washington's quote highlights how the institution of slavery systematically dismantled Black family ties to maintain control over individuals. By preventing marriages and familial bonds, slaveholders aimed to strip away love and connection, making it easier to exploit and sell family members as commodities, thus emphasizing the harsh realities of dehumanization in a capitalist system built on oppression.
Themes
SlaveryFamilyLoveCommunityOppression
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech addressing social justice, one might reference this quote to illustrate the historical impacts of slavery on family structures.
More from Kerry Washington
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I think as a whole America is dealing with the issue of homophobia. We got to be really honest about whether we believe in civil rights for all people or not. As Black people we need to remember the moment that we say it's okay to disenfranchise one segment of society, we're opening the door to move backward on ourselves.
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Look, I get it. Whether it's school, work, family, we've all got a lot on our minds. People say to me, "I'm just too busy to think about politics." But here's the thing: You may not be thinking about politics, but politics is thinking about you.
Kerry WashingtonRead
I'm not interested in living in a world where my race is not a part of who I am. I am interested in living in a world where our races, no matter what they are, don't define our trajectory in life.
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You and you alone are the only person that can live the life that writes the story that you were meant to tell. And the world needs your story because the world needs your voice.
Kerry WashingtonRead
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