We have come over a way that with tears has been watered, We have come, treading our path through the blood of the slaughtered.
James Weldon JohnsonRead
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.
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.
More from James Weldon Johnson
All quotes →There are a great many colored people who are ashamed of the cake-walk, but I think they ought to be proud of it.
James Weldon JohnsonRead
O Black and unknown bards of long ago, How came your lips to touch the sacred fire?
James Weldon JohnsonRead
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.
James Weldon JohnsonRead
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.
James Weldon JohnsonRead
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.
James Weldon JohnsonRead
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