Du Bois marked a great stage in the history of Negro struggles when he said that Negroes could no longer accept the subordination which Booker T. Washington had preached.
C. L. R. JamesRead
It is over one hundred years since the abolition of slavery. The Negro people in the United States have taken plenty and they have reached a stage where they have decided that they are not going to take any more.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the determination of the African American community to stand against oppression after a long history of suffering.
C. L. R. James reflects on the significant historical achievement of the abolition of slavery over a century ago, highlighting that the African American community has endured a legacy of hardship and oppression. He notes that they have reached a point of resilience where they refuse to accept further injustices, illustrating their strength and resolve to fight for their rights and dignity.
Themes
SlaveryFreedomResilienceOppressionJustice
In practice
Example use cases
During a Black History Month event, this quote can be used to inspire discussions about civil rights.
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I was a Labour Party man but I found myself to the left of the Labour party in Nelson, militant as that was. I came to London and in a few months I was a Trotskyist.
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Today, in American imperialism, the commodity has reached its most grandiose historical manifestation.
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