The actual sight of a first-class house that a Negro has built is ten times more potent than pages of discussion about a house that he ought to build, or perhaps could build.
Booker T. WashingtonRead
I would permit no man, no matter what his colour might be, to narrow and degrade my soul by making me hate him.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the importance of maintaining one's integrity and humanity, regardless of how others may treat us.
In this quote, Booker T. Washington is conveying that he will not allow anyone's actions or prejudices to determine his own feelings or degrade his character. He highlights the idea that hatred is a choice and that one can choose to rise above the hate directed at them, thus preserving their own dignity and soul against the negativity of others.
Themes
HateSoulIntegrityCharacterPrejudice
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about tolerance and acceptance.
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You go to school, you study about the Germans and the French, but not about your own race. I hope the time will come when you study black history too.
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Nothing ever comes to one, that is worth having, except as a result of hard work.
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I shall allow no man to belittle my soul by making me hate him.
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If I have done anything in life worth attention, I feel sure that I inherited the disposition from my mother.
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