If I am not good to myself, how can I expect anyone else to be good to me?
Maya AngelouRead
The white American man makes the white American woman maybe not superfluous but just a little kind of decoration. Not really important to turning around the wheels of the state. Well the black American woman has never been able to feel that way. No black American man at any time in our history in the United States has been able to feel that he didn't need that black woman right against him, shoulder to shoulder-in that cotton field, on the auction block, in the ghetto, wherever.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote highlights the essential role of black women alongside black men in the face of systemic challenges, contrasting this with the perceived lesser significance of white women in their societal context.
Maya Angelou's quote reflects on the historical dynamics between black men and women in America, emphasizing how black women have always been integral and indispensable to the struggles and resilience of their community. It critiques the notion of white women as merely decorative figures in society, as opposed to black women who have had to stand shoulder to shoulder with black men through various adversities, suggesting that their partnership is rooted in necessity and shared experience rather than an optional relationship.
Themes
RaceGenderEqualityPartnershipHistoryStruggle
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about gender roles and race, this quote can illustrate the importance of partnership between black men and women.
More from Maya Angelou
All quotes βI find it interesting that the meanest life, the poorest existence, is attributed to God's will, but as human beings become more affluent, as their living standard and style begin to ascend the material scale, God descends the scale of responsibility at commensurate speed.
Maya AngelouRead
I dreamt we walked together along the shore. We made satisfying small talk and laughed. This morning I found sand in my shoe and a seashell in my pocket. Was I only dreaming?
Maya AngelouRead
I know that I'm not the easiest person to live with. The challenge I put on myself is so great that the person I live with feels himself challenged. I bring a lot to bear, and I don't know how not to.
Maya AngelouRead
I think Clinton, after getting into office and into Washington, was shocked at being bludgeoned. So he spent time trying to be all things to all people - one way guaranteed not to be successful or respected in a lion's den. You can't just play around with all those big cats - you've got to take somebody on.
Maya AngelouRead
In order to be a mentor, and an effective one, one must care. You must care. You don't have to know how many square miles are in Idaho, you don't need to know what is the chemical makeup of chemistry, or of blood or water. Know what you know and care about the person, care about what you know and care about the person you're sharing with.
Maya AngelouRead
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