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First it was the whites, and then their Negro message bearers. And the word was always the same: 'Tell your sons to take their names off the books. Don't show up at the courthouse voting day.'
Medgar Evers
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Interpretation

What this quote means

This quote emphasizes the power of naming and the struggle against oppression in the quest for equality and justice.

Medgar Evers highlights the historical suppression of African Americans from participating in democracy and the systemic efforts to dissuade them from claiming their rights. The quote serves as a reminder of the long-standing fight against racial injustice and the importance of taking a stand for one's identity and rights, despite the obstacles imposed by discrimination.

Themes

EqualityJusticeOppressionVotingIdentity

In practice

Example use cases

This quote can be used to inspire activists at a civil rights rally.

More from Medgar Evers

When you hate, the only person that suffers is you because most of the people you hate don't know it and the rest don't care.
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As long as God gives me strength to work and try to make things real for my children, I'm going to work for it - even if it means making the ultimate sacrifice.
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It may sound funny, but I love the South. I don't choose to live anywhere else. There's land here, where a man can raise cattle, and I'm going to do it some day.
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The gifts of God should be enjoyed by all citizens in Mississippi.
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The six of us gathered at my house, and we walked to the polls. I'll never forget it. Not a Negro was on the streets, and when we got to the courthouse, the clerk said he wanted to talk with us. When we got into his office, some 15 or 20 armed white men surged in behind us - men I had grown up with, had played with.
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Except for teachers, who are 'controlled' as far as his militancy is concerned, good jobs are rare for Negroes.
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