And so, lifting as we climb, onward and upward we go, struggling and striving, and hoping that the buds and blossoms of our desires will burst into glorious fruition ere long.
Mary Church TerrellRead
Surely nowhere in the world do oppression and persecution based solely on the color of the skin appear more hateful and hideous than in the capital of the United States, because the chasm between the principles upon which this Government was founded, in which it still professes to believe, and those which are daily practiced under the protection of the flag, yawn so wide and deep.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote criticizes the hypocrisy of a nation that professes equality while allowing racial oppression.
Mary Church Terrell's quote highlights the stark contradiction between the foundational principles of the United States, which advocate for equality and justice for all, and the real-world practices of oppression and persecution based on skin color. It emphasizes the deep moral failure of a society that allows such injustices to persist under its own flag, exposing the chasm between ideals and reality in a nation that claims to uphold freedom and equality.
Themes
OppressionEqualityHypocrisyJusticeRace
In practice
Example use cases
During a civil rights discussion, one might use this quote to illustrate the ongoing struggles against racial injustice.
More from Mary Church Terrell
All quotes →Seeing their children touched and seared and wounded by race prejudice is one of the heaviest crosses which colored women have to bear.
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