--- title: "11 Means Black Quotes by 11 authors" description: "Browse 11 Means Black quotes by 11 authors. Discover the best Means Black sayings and thoughts." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69b/michelle-alexander-750_black-people_today-mass-incarceration-defines-the-mea_665281.png" --- > [Today mass incarceration defines the meaning of blackness in America: Black people, especially black men, are criminals. That is what it means…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-alexander/today-mass-incarceration-defines-the-meaning-of-blackness-in-america/) [Michelle Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-alexander/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69b/michelle-alexander-750_black-people_today-mass-incarceration-defines-the-mea_665281.png) > [While violence is part of what it means to be part of the black diaspora in the United States, that is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-smith/while-violence-is-part-of-what-it-means-to-be-part-of-the-black/) [Clint Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-smith/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ea/clint-smith-4108_black_while-violence-is-part-of-what-it-means_1891846.jpg) > [Part-black generally means all-black in Americans' minds. Just as part-Asian or part-Hispanic or part-anything-else usually puts individuals in those minority-groups' camps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-kluger/part-black-generally-means-all-black-in-americans-minds-just-as-part/) [Jeffrey Kluger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-kluger/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/13f/jeffrey-kluger-4109_all-black_part-black-generally-means-all-black-in_2646191.jpg) > [Fluidity means that our black identities are constantly changing as we respond to circumstances in our families and communities of origin, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/fluidity-means-that-our-black-identities-are-constantly-changing-as/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/279/bell-hooks-464_black_fluidity-means-that-our-black-identities_282696.jpg) > [We have a tendency in this country that when we say Black it automatically means Black Americans. But that's a big mistake,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irene-cara/we-have-a-tendency-in-this-country-that-when-we-say-black-it/) [Irene Cara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irene-cara/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ca/irene-cara-18117_big-mistake_we-have-a-tendency-in-this-country-that_2571583.jpg) > [Hip Hop offers new ways of seeing and understanding what it means to be black at this pivotal time in history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-boyd/hip-hop-offers-new-ways-of-seeing-and-understanding-what-it-means-to/) [Todd Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-boyd/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/425/todd-boyd-55135_hip-hop_hip-hop-offers-new-ways-of-seeing-and-un_957290.jpg) > [To most white people, jazz means black and jazz means dirt, and that's not what I play. I play black classical music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-simone/to-most-white-people-jazz-means-black-and-jazz-means-dirt-and-that-s/) [Nina Simone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-simone/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b91/nina-simone-3396_black_to-most-white-people-jazz-means-black-an_1623439.png) > [There haven't been enough profound things written about what being black means and what a black character is. Nobody knows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-earl-jones/there-haven-t-been-enough-profound-things-written-about-what-being/) [James Earl Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-earl-jones/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ae/james-earl-jones-8519_about_there-haven-t-been-enough-profound-thing_1228402.jpg) > [As a black person, I'm used to going to places in which I might be the only black person that shows up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-james-marshall/as-a-black-person-i-m-used-to-going-to-places-in-which-i-might-be-the/) [Kerry James Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-james-marshall/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96e/kerry-james-marshall-5157_black-person_as-a-black-person-i-m-used-to-going-to-p_1209741.jpg) > [It means black kitten," I said with my pulse almost even again. Ares studied me. "And you're ok with them calling you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/it-means-black-kitten-i-said-with-my-pulse-almost-even-again-ares/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/330/laurell-k-hamilton-199_black_it-means-black-kitten-i-said-with-my-pul_836423.jpg) > [“You know what Black means? BLACK means Brave, BLACK means Leaderly, BLACK means Adventurous, BLACK means Considerate, BLACK means Kind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/you-know-what-black-means-black-means-brave-black-means-leaderly/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d0e/abhijit-naskar-99_anti-racism_you-know-what-black-means-black-means-br_2664989.jpg) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "ItemList", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/means-black/#itemlist", "name": "Means Black Quotes", "numberOfItems": 11, "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Today mass incarceration defines the meaning of blackness in America: Black people, especially black men, are criminals. That is what it means to be black.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Michelle Alexander" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-alexander/today-mass-incarceration-defines-the-meaning-of-blackness-in-america/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69b/michelle-alexander-750_black-people_today-mass-incarceration-defines-the-mea_665281.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69b/michelle-alexander-750_black-people_today-mass-incarceration-defines-the-mea_665281.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69b/michelle-alexander-750_black-people_today-mass-incarceration-defines-the-mea_665281.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Today mass incarceration defines the meaning of blackness in America: Black people, especially black men…” — Michelle Alexander", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "While violence is part of what it means to be part of the black diaspora in the United States, that is not all it means to be black.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Clint Smith" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-smith/while-violence-is-part-of-what-it-means-to-be-part-of-the-black/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ea/clint-smith-4108_black_while-violence-is-part-of-what-it-means_1891846.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ea/clint-smith-4108_black_while-violence-is-part-of-what-it-means_1891846.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ea/clint-smith-4108_black_while-violence-is-part-of-what-it-means_1891846.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“While violence is part of what it means to be part of the black diaspora in the United States, that is not…” — Clint Smith", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Part-black generally means all-black in Americans' minds. Just as part-Asian or part-Hispanic or part-anything-else usually puts individuals in those minority-groups' camps.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jeffrey Kluger" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-kluger/part-black-generally-means-all-black-in-americans-minds-just-as-part/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/13f/jeffrey-kluger-4109_all-black_part-black-generally-means-all-black-in_2646191.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/13f/jeffrey-kluger-4109_all-black_part-black-generally-means-all-black-in_2646191.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/13f/jeffrey-kluger-4109_all-black_part-black-generally-means-all-black-in_2646191.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Part-black generally means all-black in Americans' minds. 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But that's a big mistake, and that keeps us divided. There are Blacks all over this entire world-even in Africa.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Irene Cara" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irene-cara/we-have-a-tendency-in-this-country-that-when-we-say-black-it/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ca/irene-cara-18117_big-mistake_we-have-a-tendency-in-this-country-that_2571583.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ca/irene-cara-18117_big-mistake_we-have-a-tendency-in-this-country-that_2571583.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ca/irene-cara-18117_big-mistake_we-have-a-tendency-in-this-country-that_2571583.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We have a tendency in this country that when we say Black it automatically means Black Americans. 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I play black classical music.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Nina Simone" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-simone/to-most-white-people-jazz-means-black-and-jazz-means-dirt-and-that-s/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b91/nina-simone-3396_black_to-most-white-people-jazz-means-black-an_1623439.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b91/nina-simone-3396_black_to-most-white-people-jazz-means-black-an_1623439.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b91/nina-simone-3396_black_to-most-white-people-jazz-means-black-an_1623439.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“To most white people, jazz means black and jazz means dirt, and that's not what I play. I play black…” — Nina Simone", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 8, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There haven't been enough profound things written about what being black means and what a black character is. Nobody knows.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "James Earl Jones" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-earl-jones/there-haven-t-been-enough-profound-things-written-about-what-being/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ae/james-earl-jones-8519_about_there-haven-t-been-enough-profound-thing_1228402.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ae/james-earl-jones-8519_about_there-haven-t-been-enough-profound-thing_1228402.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ae/james-earl-jones-8519_about_there-haven-t-been-enough-profound-thing_1228402.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There haven't been enough profound things written about what being black means and what a black character…” — James Earl Jones", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 9, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "As a black person, I'm used to going to places in which I might be the only black person that shows up there. This experience has an effect on the way you see yourself in the world and what it means to be black in the world.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Kerry James Marshall" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-james-marshall/as-a-black-person-i-m-used-to-going-to-places-in-which-i-might-be-the/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96e/kerry-james-marshall-5157_black-person_as-a-black-person-i-m-used-to-going-to-p_1209741.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96e/kerry-james-marshall-5157_black-person_as-a-black-person-i-m-used-to-going-to-p_1209741.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96e/kerry-james-marshall-5157_black-person_as-a-black-person-i-m-used-to-going-to-p_1209741.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“As a black person, I'm used to going to places in which I might be the only black person that shows up…” — Kerry James Marshall", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 10, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It means black kitten,\" I said with my pulse almost even again. Ares studied me. \"And you're ok with them calling you their black kitten?\" \"They're wererats, Ares,\" I said. He frowned at me. \"They're not calling me their little black rat. Think it through.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Laurell K. Hamilton" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/it-means-black-kitten-i-said-with-my-pulse-almost-even-again-ares/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/330/laurell-k-hamilton-199_black_it-means-black-kitten-i-said-with-my-pul_836423.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/330/laurell-k-hamilton-199_black_it-means-black-kitten-i-said-with-my-pul_836423.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/330/laurell-k-hamilton-199_black_it-means-black-kitten-i-said-with-my-pul_836423.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It means black kitten,\" I said with my pulse almost even again. Ares studied me. \"And you're ok with them…” — Laurell K. Hamilton", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 11, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“You know what Black means? BLACK means Brave, BLACK means Leaderly, BLACK means Adventurous, BLACK means Considerate, BLACK means Kind.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Abhijit Naskar" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/you-know-what-black-means-black-means-brave-black-means-leaderly/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d0e/abhijit-naskar-99_anti-racism_you-know-what-black-means-black-means-br_2664989.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d0e/abhijit-naskar-99_anti-racism_you-know-what-black-means-black-means-br_2664989.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d0e/abhijit-naskar-99_anti-racism_you-know-what-black-means-black-means-br_2664989.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You know what Black means? BLACK means Brave, BLACK means Leaderly, BLACK means Adventurous, BLACK means…” — Abhijit Naskar", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } } ] }, { "@type": "CollectionPage", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/means-black/#webpage", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/means-black/", "name": "Means Black Quotes", "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "mainEntity": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/means-black/#itemlist" }, "primaryImageOfPage": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69b/michelle-alexander-750_black-people_today-mass-incarceration-defines-the-mea_665281.png" }, "description": "Browse 11 Means Black quotes by 11 authors. 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