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Southern white people despise the Negro as a race, and will do nothing to aid in his elevation as such; but for certain individuals they have a strong affection, and are helpful to them in many ways.
James Weldon Johnson
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Interpretation

What this quote means

The quote highlights the complex relationship between races, showing both disdain for a group and affection for individuals.

James Weldon Johnson's quote reflects the paradoxical nature of racial relationships, particularly in the context of Southern white attitudes towards Black people. While there exists a deep-seated contempt for the Negro as a collective, a certain level of affection is reserved for individual Blacks who manage to bridge the gap, indicating a troubling dichotomy between personal sentiment and racial prejudice. This illustrates how societal views can conflict with personal relationships, leading to a complicated social landscape where individual merit is recognized, yet systemic barriers remain.

Themes

RacePrejudiceAffectionRelationshipElevation

In practice

Example use cases

This quote can be used in discussions about race relations during a lecture on civil rights.

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We have come over a way that with tears has been watered, We have come, treading our path through the blood of the slaughtered.
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O Black and unknown bards of long ago, How came your lips to touch the sacred fire?
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The battle was first waged over the right of the Negro to be classed as a human being with a soul; later, as to whether he had sufficient intellect to master even the rudiments of learning; and today it is being fought out over his social recognition.
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I believe it to be a fact that the colored people of this country know and understand the white people better than the white people know and understand them.
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It is a struggle; for though the black man fights passively, he nevertheless fights; and his passive resistance is more effective at present than active resistance could possibly be. He bears the fury of the storm as does the willow tree.
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