--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Racism is taught in our society, it is…" description: "\"Racism is taught in our society, it is not automatic. It is learned behavior toward persons with dissimilar physical characteristics.\" — Alex Haley" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/372/alex-haley-8212_behavior_racism-is-taught-in-our-society-it-is-no_2917785.jpg" --- # Racism is taught in our society, it is not automatic. It… ![“Racism is taught in our society, it is not automatic. It is learned behavior toward persons with dissimilar physical characteristics.” quote by Alex Haley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/372/alex-haley-8212_behavior_racism-is-taught-in-our-society-it-is-no_2917785.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/372/alex-haley-8212_behavior_racism-is-taught-in-our-society-it-is-no_2917785.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/372/alex-haley-8212_behavior_racism-is-taught-in-our-society-it-is-no_2917785.jpg) > “Racism is taught in our society, it is not automatic. It is learned behavior toward persons with dissimilar physical characteristics.” [Alex Haley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-haley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Racism is a social construct learned through cultural transmission, not an innate trait. **In simple terms:** Racism is learned, not innate. Key Takeaway Challenge and and promote inclusive education. Themes prejudice socialization equality Mood reflective serious Type educational inspirational When to use this quote - schools - media - family discussions - policy making Key Concepts Implicit bias systemic racism social learning Questions to Reflect On - How can we unlearn ingrained biases? - What role does education play in dismantling racism? A Different Perspective Learning can be reversed with conscious effort and exposure. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Behavior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behavior/) [Characteristics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/characteristics/) [Habits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habits/) [Learned behavior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learned-behavior/) [Persons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persons/) [Persons Dissimilar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persons-dissimilar-4235154/) [Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism/) [Racism Is Taught](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism-is-taught-224854/) [Racism Taught](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism-taught-477627/) [Taught](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taught/) [Taught Society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taught-society-3107405/) ## Related quotes > [Racism is taught in the home. We agree on that? Well, it's very hard to teach racism to a teenager who's listening to rap…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/racism-is-taught-in-the-home-we-agree-on-that-well-it-s-very-hard-to/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [Racism is taught, break the cycle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-skinnr/racism-is-taught-break-the-cycle/) [Jamie Skinnr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-skinnr/) > [“In American, the history of racism is taught like this: 'There was slavery and then there was Jim Crow and then there was Martin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevor-noah/in-american-the-history-of-racism-is-taught-like-this-there-was/) [Trevor Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevor-noah/) > [I come from a background where we have been taught to give back to the society, as it is an obligation for all of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/urmila-matondkar/i-come-from-a-background-where-we-have-been-taught-to-give-back-to/) [Urmila Matondkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/urmila-matondkar/) > [Racism is something that is taught. We, as a people, need to work to get past that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/booker-t/racism-is-something-that-is-taught-we-as-a-people-need-to-work-to-get/) [Booker T](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/booker-t/) > [I was lucky I had a mom who had seen it all. From seeing my grandfather march in the Civil Rights era, she understood…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-brogdon/i-was-lucky-i-had-a-mom-who-had-seen-it-all-from-seeing-my/) [Malcolm Brogdon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-brogdon/) > [My grandmother though, began to prepare in her own neurotic - and I think psychotic - way to face racism. So she taught us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-earl-jones/my-grandmother-though-began-to-prepare-in-her-own-neurotic-and-i/) [James Earl Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-earl-jones/) > [Kids know nothing about racism. They're taught that by adults.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruby-bridges/kids-know-nothing-about-racism-they-re-taught-that-by-adults/) [Ruby Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruby-bridges/) > [Some people are born with a fire inside them. The will to succeed. It isn’t a learned behavior. It’s just some unknown biological factor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-a-konrath/some-people-are-born-with-a-fire-inside-them-the-will-to-succeed-it/) [J.A. Konrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-a-konrath/) > [No child is ever born afraid. Fear is a learned behavior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cherie-carter-scott/no-child-is-ever-born-afraid-fear-is-a-learned-behavior/) [Cherie Carter-Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cherie-carter-scott/) > [Human behavior is subject to the same laws as any other natural phenomenon. Our customs, behaviors, and values are byproducts of our culture. No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacque-fresco/human-behavior-is-subject-to-the-same-laws-as-any-other-natural/) [Jacque Fresco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacque-fresco/) > [Fear is the culprit that robs us of our greatest lives. And although it's mostly made up or a learned behavior from our past,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-ford/fear-is-the-culprit-that-robs-us-of-our-greatest-lives-and-although/) [Debbie Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-ford/) > [I have excellent balance. That's a learned behavior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamal-murray/i-have-excellent-balance-that-s-a-learned-behavior/) [Jamal Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamal-murray/) > [The harassment and the bullying that students face is a learned behavior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-mcbride/the-harassment-and-the-bullying-that-students-face-is-a-learned/) [Sarah McBride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-mcbride/) > [Learned behaviors have replaced the biologically given ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/learned-behaviors-have-replaced-the-biologically-given-ones/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) ## More by Alex Haley > [I tell younger writers that indeed it is devastating to be rejected. You feel like the bottom dropped out of your world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-haley/i-tell-younger-writers-that-indeed-it-is-devastating-to-be-rejected/) [Alex Haley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-haley/) > [If you're blessed to do something like 'Roots'... you find yourself immersed. You're asked to do this, to do that - all for admirable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-haley/if-you-re-blessed-to-do-something-like-roots-you-find-yourself/) [Alex Haley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-haley/) > [I think from what I personally know, I am really quite proud of most of the people I know who have 'made it,' who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-haley/i-think-from-what-i-personally-know-i-am-really-quite-proud-of-most/) [Alex Haley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-haley/) > [In the bush, trust no one you don't know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-haley/in-the-bush-trust-no-one-you-don-t-know/) [Alex Haley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-haley/) > [Either you deal with what is the reality, or you can be sure that the reality is going to deal with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-haley/either-you-deal-with-what-is-the-reality-or-you-can-be-sure-that-the/) [Alex Haley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-haley/) > [I know Juffure was a British trading post and my portrait of the village bears no resemblance to the way it was. But the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-haley/i-know-juffure-was-a-british-trading-post-and-my-portrait-of-the/) [Alex Haley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-haley/) > [I look at my books the way parents look at their children. The fact that one becomes more successful than the others doesn't make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-haley/i-look-at-my-books-the-way-parents-look-at-their-children-the-fact/) [Alex Haley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-haley/) > [Never completely encircle your enemy. Leave him some escape, for he will fight even more desperately if trapped.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-haley/never-completely-encircle-your-enemy-leave-him-some-escape-for-he/) [Alex Haley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-haley/) > [I can't feel Irish to save my soul, but it's a fact.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-haley/i-can-t-feel-irish-to-save-my-soul-but-it-s-a-fact/) [Alex Haley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-haley/) > [Most of the people I've met who are black in other countries look up to the blacks in this country. Though they may talk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-haley/most-of-the-people-i-ve-met-who-are-black-in-other-countries-look-up/) [Alex Haley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-haley/) > [Early in the spring of 1750, in the village of Juffure, four days upriver from the coast of The Gambia, West Africa, a manchild…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-haley/early-in-the-spring-of-1750-in-the-village-of-juffure-four-days/) [Alex Haley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-haley/) > [“nightly boiling and then cooling a broth of freshly pounded fudano leaves in which she soaked her feat -and the pale palms of her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-haley/nightly-boiling-and-then-cooling-a-broth-of-freshly-pounded-fudano/) [Alex Haley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-haley/) > [In all of us there is a hunger, marrow-deep, to know our heritage, to know who we are and where we came from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-haley/in-all-of-us-there-is-a-hunger-marrow-deep-to-know-our-heritage-to/) [Alex Haley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-haley/) > [If you think about it, there's not a religious group, there's not a nationalistic group, there's not a tribe, there is no grouping of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-haley/if-you-think-about-it-there-s-not-a-religious-group-there-s-not-a/) [Alex Haley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-haley/) > [Is this how you repay my goodness--with badness?” cried the boy. “Of course,” said the crocodile out of the corner of his mouth. “That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-haley/is-this-how-you-repay-my-goodness-with-badness-cried-the-boy-of/) [Alex Haley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-haley/) [Explore all 83 Alex Haley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-haley/) ## More Behavior quotes > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [As you begin changing your thinking, start immediately to change your behaviour. Begin to act the part of the person you would like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-you-begin-changing-your-thinking-start-immediately-to-change-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I now know that deep within the human concept is something dark, selfish, and completely willing to do whatever is necessary to support the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-west/i-now-know-that-deep-within-the-human-concept-is-something-dark/) [Melissa West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-west/) > [“We are endowed with genes which code out our reaction to beavers and otters, maybe our reaction to each other as well. We are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-thomas/we-are-endowed-with-genes-which-code-out-our-reaction-to-beavers-and/) [Lewis Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-thomas/) > [The number of poor, and poorly prepared, students who succeed in college and beyond undercuts the simplistic notion that economic or educational disadvantage is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roland-merullo/the-number-of-poor-and-poorly-prepared-students-who-succeed-in/) [Roland Merullo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roland-merullo/) > [To behave creatively in art means behavior with skill; and skill comes from discipline, not derangement. The artist who knows the rules -and proportion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burne-hogarth/to-behave-creatively-in-art-means-behavior-with-skill-and-skill-comes/) [Burne Hogarth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burne-hogarth/) > [You don't put milk in chamomile tea - that's disgusting behavior! That's not right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-fraser/you-don-t-put-milk-in-chamomile-tea-that-s-disgusting-behavior-that-s/) [Laura Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-fraser/) > [The laws of thermodynamics, as empirically determined, express the approximate and probable behavior of systems of a great number of particles, or, more precisely,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-willard-gibbs/the-laws-of-thermodynamics-as-empirically-determined-express-the/) [J. Willard Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-willard-gibbs/) > [I started with the belief that every person who came to the laboratory was free to accept or to reject the dictates of authority.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-milgram/i-started-with-the-belief-that-every-person-who-came-to-the/) [Stanley Milgram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-milgram/) > [The tipping point is that magic moment when an idea, trend, or social behavior crosses a threshold, tips, and spreads like wildfire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/the-tipping-point-is-that-magic-moment-when-an-idea-trend-or-social/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [I think we've told a lot of lies about human behavior through film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-arquette/i-think-we-ve-told-a-lot-of-lies-about-human-behavior-through-film/) [Patricia Arquette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-arquette/) > [The strongest rebellion may be expressed in quiet, undramatic behavior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-spock/the-strongest-rebellion-may-be-expressed-in-quiet-undramatic-behavior/) [Benjamin Spock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-spock/) > [The behavior of any bureaucratic organization can best be understood by assuming that it is controlled by a secret cabal of its enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-conquest/the-behavior-of-any-bureaucratic-organization-can-best-be-understood/) [Robert Conquest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-conquest/) > [If you want good behavior, don't pay on a commission basis. Our judges aren't paid so much a case. We keep them pretty well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/if-you-want-good-behavior-don-t-pay-on-a-commission-basis-our-judges/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) [Browse all 4,218 Behavior quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behavior/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Racism is taught in our society, it is not automatic. It is learned behavior toward persons with dissimilar physical characteristics.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alex Haley" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-haley/racism-is-taught-in-our-society-it-is-not-automatic-it-is-learned/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Behavior" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-haley/racism-is-taught-in-our-society-it-is-not-automatic-it-is-learned/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/372/alex-haley-8212_behavior_racism-is-taught-in-our-society-it-is-no_2917785.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/372/alex-haley-8212_behavior_racism-is-taught-in-our-society-it-is-no_2917785.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/372/alex-haley-8212_behavior_racism-is-taught-in-our-society-it-is-no_2917785.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Racism is taught in our society, it is not automatic. It is learned behavior toward persons with dissimilar…” — Alex Haley", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Alex Haley", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-haley/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Racism is taught in our society,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-haley/racism-is-taught-in-our-society-it-is-not-automatic-it-is-learned/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-haley/racism-is-taught-in-our-society-it-is-not-automatic-it-is-learned/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```