--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Howard Zinn helped us desegregate…" description: "\"Howard Zinn helped us desegregate Atlanta. That was moving because he took a lot of abuse for that. He and Staughton Lynd, a fellow professor who was a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe6/alice-walker-347_abuse_howard-zinn-helped-us-desegregate-atlant_2375344.jpg" --- # Howard Zinn helped us desegregate Atlanta. That was moving… ![“Howard Zinn helped us desegregate Atlanta. That was moving because he took a lot of abuse for that. He and Staughton Lynd, a fellow professor who was also from the North, stood with us. They were certainly behind us. In fact, they often stood in front of us. This had a huge impact on me. But one…” quote by Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe6/alice-walker-347_abuse_howard-zinn-helped-us-desegregate-atlant_2375344.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe6/alice-walker-347_abuse_howard-zinn-helped-us-desegregate-atlant_2375344.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe6/alice-walker-347_abuse_howard-zinn-helped-us-desegregate-atlant_2375344.jpg) > “Howard Zinn helped us desegregate Atlanta. That was moving because he took a lot of abuse for that. He and Staughton Lynd, a fellow professor who was also from the North, stood with us. They were certainly behind us. In fact, they often stood in front of us. This had a huge impact on me. But one of the reasons I was very careful about speaking about the relationship I had with him and Staughton was because, in a racist society, if you acknowledge a deep love for and a deep debt owed to white teachers, they tend to discredit your own parents and your own community.” [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Allyship with white allies can be powerful but may also risk undermining community narratives. **In simple terms:** White allies can help but may eclipse community voices. Key Takeaway Balance ally support with community autonomy. Themes allyity racial justice historical memory Mood thoughtful critical Type social historical When to use this quote - civil rights activism - academic collaboration - community organizing Key Concepts solidarity power dynamics historical context Questions to Reflect On - How can we honor allies without erasing community? - What safeguards protect community narratives? A Different Perspective Allyship can be co‑opted by dominant narratives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abuse/) [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [Deep love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deep-love/) [Parent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parent/) [Racist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racist/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Teacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teacher/) [Teachers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teachers/) ## Related quotes > [Howard Zinn was magical as a teacher. Witty, irreverent, and wise, he loved what he was teaching and clearly wanted his students to love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/howard-zinn-was-magical-as-a-teacher-witty-irreverent-and-wise-he/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [I met Howard Zinn in 1961, my first year at Spelman College in Atlanta. He was the tall, rangy, good-looking professor that many of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/i-met-howard-zinn-in-1961-my-first-year-at-spelman-college-in-atlanta/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [It was very clear to me in 1965, in Mississippi, that, as a lawyer, I could get people into schools, desegregate the schools, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-wright-edelman/it-was-very-clear-to-me-in-1965-in-mississippi-that-as-a-lawyer-i/) [Marian Wright Edelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-wright-edelman/) > [Along with the fight to desegregate schools, we must desegregate the entire cultural statement of America, we must desegregate the minds of the American…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-oliver-killens/along-with-the-fight-to-desegregate-schools-we-must-desegregate-the/) [John Oliver Killens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-oliver-killens/) > [“I studied how to use the clothes washer. The handy instructions on the lid helped; so did the box of suds. It instructed me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huston-piner/i-studied-how-to-use-the-clothes-washer-the-handy-instructions-on-the/) [Huston Piner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huston-piner/) > [I was the first black child to desegregate the all-white William Frantz Elementary School in Louisiana in 1960.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruby-bridges/i-was-the-first-black-child-to-desegregate-the-all-white-william/) [Ruby Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruby-bridges/) > [I want some help on this. I'm being very honest, i want some ideas, as somebody who was arrested 50 years ago fighting for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/i-want-some-help-on-this-i-m-being-very-honest-i-want-some-ideas-as/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [I was in sit-ins to desegregate restaurants and movie houses in the '60s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/i-was-in-sit-ins-to-desegregate-restaurants-and-movie-houses-in-the/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [That's what's great about Howard Zinn. Here's a guy who says, "Look, democracy doesn't come from above - it comes from below." The only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-brolin/that-s-what-s-great-about-howard-zinn-here-s-a-guy-who-says-look/) [Josh Brolin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-brolin/) > [ One of the most recent things we did \[in Perceval Press\] is a reissue of a fantastic documentary about Russian prison tattoo culture by… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viggo-mortensen/one-of-the-most-recent-things-we-did-in-perceval-press-is-a-reissue/) [Viggo Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viggo-mortensen/) > [ John Silber said the single longest reference he could find to Abraham Lincoln \[in Howard Zinn's History of America \] was two paragraphs. That… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/john-silber-said-the-single-longest-reference-he-could-find-to/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Howard Zinn ran what is called the Zinn Education Project. It is a radical, radical bunch of insane lunatic leftists. And there is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/howard-zinn-ran-what-is-called-the-zinn-education-project-it-is-a/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Imagine Jon Stewart if he gave a damn. He's like Howard Zinn after 12 beers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-swanson/imagine-jon-stewart-if-he-gave-a-damn-he-s-like-howard-zinn-after-12/) [David Swanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-swanson/) > [By the way, Howard Zinn's History of America is front and center at the gift shop of the New York Historical Society. The New…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/by-the-way-howard-zinn-s-history-of-america-is-front-and-center-at/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [ This comes from Mike Gonzalez at the Daily Signal: \[ Howard\] Zinn's history "set the stage for the grievance mongering that passes for history… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/this-comes-from-mike-gonzalez-at-the-daily-signal-howard-zinn-s/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) ## More by Alice Walker > [I gave my archive to Emory University because there's a really dear friend who teaches there, Rudolph Byrd, and he's the editor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/i-gave-my-archive-to-emory-university-because-there-s-a-really-dear/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [Just be what it is that you are, and that is just fine. You don't have to be what you're not in any way.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/just-be-what-it-is-that-you-are-and-that-is-just-fine-you-don-t-have/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [“Remember this-- say it & know it is true: Alice loves me Alice loves me and I am not blamed for this. ... she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/remember-this-say-it-know-it-is-true-alice-loves-me-alice-loves-me/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [“Only the sky above us do we hold in common.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/only-the-sky-above-us-do-we-hold-in-common/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [“Why aren't you happy in America, if everyone there drives motorcars?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/why-aren-t-you-happy-in-america-if-everyone-there-drives-motorcars/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [“She saw poetry where other writers merely saw failure to cope with English.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/she-saw-poetry-where-other-writers-merely-saw-failure-to-cope-with/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [My mother had handed down respect for the possibilities...and the will to grasp them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/my-mother-had-handed-down-respect-for-the-possibilities-and-the-will/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [Helped are those who are content to be themselves; they will never lack mystery in their lives and the joys of self-discovery will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/helped-are-those-who-are-content-to-be-themselves-they-will-never/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [“As others might prepare for an exam whose subject matter is unknown to them, so I must study, cram, for every conversation with my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/as-others-might-prepare-for-an-exam-whose-subject-matter-is-unknown/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [The original crime of niggers and lesbians is that they prefer themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/the-original-crime-of-niggers-and-lesbians-is-that-they-prefer/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [My mother was very strong. Once, she picked up a coconut and smashed it against my father's head. It taught me about women defending…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/my-mother-was-very-strong-once-she-picked-up-a-coconut-and-smashed-it/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [Many readers fail to realize this, but 'The Color Purple' is a theological text. It is about the reclamation of one's original God: the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/many-readers-fail-to-realize-this-but-the-color-purple-is-a/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [The good news may be that Nature is phasing out the white man, but the bad news is that's who She thinks we all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/the-good-news-may-be-that-nature-is-phasing-out-the-white-man-but-the/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [Humans - whatever billions we are - we don't have the control. We are considered expendable, basically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/humans-whatever-billions-we-are-we-don-t-have-the-control-we-are/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [All my life I had to fight. I had to fight my daddy. I had to fight my uncles. I had to fight my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/all-my-life-i-had-to-fight-i-had-to-fight-my-daddy-i-had-to-fight-my/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) [Explore all 654 Alice Walker quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) ## More Abuse quotes > [I wrote when I was a young teen, but I didn't put an eye on the available markets until I was seventeen. The next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reed/i-wrote-when-i-was-a-young-teen-but-i-didn-t-put-an-eye-on-the/) [Robert Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reed/) > [Amongst the financial Twitterati, the term 'muppets' has come to describe any client used and abused by some financial predator. I've adopted the term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/amongst-the-financial-twitterati-the-term-muppets-has-come-to/) [Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/) > [Being nice is okay,but don't allow anybody to abuse it...try to fight for your self when you know your on the right way...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-nice-is-okay-but-don-t-allow-anybody-to-abuse-it-try-to-fight/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Build a bridge over shame by teaching kids about sexual abuse. Give them a chance to run to us should they encounter it. Be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-byers-ruch/build-a-bridge-over-shame-by-teaching-kids-about-sexual-abuse-give/) [Carolyn Byers Ruch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-byers-ruch/) > [It is sure that those are most desirous of honour or glory who cry out loudest of its abuse and the vanity of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baruch-spinoza/it-is-sure-that-those-are-most-desirous-of-honour-or-glory-who-cry/) [Baruch Spinoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baruch-spinoza/) > [“The sole reason I stand to open it up now is that lots of people who are in pain just like I was, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-dsouza/the-sole-reason-i-stand-to-open-it-up-now-is-that-lots-of-people-who/) [Patricia Dsouza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-dsouza/) > [Democracy must be built through open societies that share information. When there is information, there is enlightenment. When there is debate, there are solutions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atifete-jahjaga/democracy-must-be-built-through-open-societies-that-share-information/) [Atifete Jahjaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atifete-jahjaga/) > [I have a theory that all abuse, no matter what kind of abuse it is, is foremost an assault on the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-westover/i-have-a-theory-that-all-abuse-no-matter-what-kind-of-abuse-it-is-is/) [Tara Westover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-westover/) > [“Blaming therapy, social work and other caring professions for the confabulation of testimony of 'satanic ritual abuse' legitimated a programme of political and social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-salter/blaming-therapy-social-work-and-other-caring-professions-for-the/) [Michael Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-salter/) > [Finally, the scariest thing about abuse of any shape or form, is, in my opinion, not the abuse itself, but that if it continues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cumming/finally-the-scariest-thing-about-abuse-of-any-shape-or-form-is-in-my/) [Alan Cumming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cumming/) > [“Research on organised abuse emphasises the diversity of organised abuse cases, and the ways in which serious forms of child maltreatment cluster in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-salter/research-on-organised-abuse-emphasises-the-diversity-of-organised/) [Michael Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-salter/) > [“Stand up for yourself. Never give any one permission to abuse you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/stand-up-for-yourself-never-give-any-one-permission-to-abuse-you/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [All governments should be pressured to correct their abuses of human rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-stallman/all-governments-should-be-pressured-to-correct-their-abuses-of-human/) [Richard Stallman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-stallman/) > [“Words are free. It does not mean you should abuse them. Be kind with them. They will mirror your actions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hadinet-tekie/words-are-free-it-does-not-mean-you-should-abuse-them-be-kind-with/) [Hadinet Tekie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hadinet-tekie/) > [My illness is one often characterized by dramatic overspending - in my case through frenzied shopping sprees, credit card abuse, excessive hoarding of unnecessary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-behrman/my-illness-is-one-often-characterized-by-dramatic-overspending-in-my/) [Andy Behrman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-behrman/) [Browse all 3,113 Abuse quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abuse/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Howard Zinn helped us desegregate Atlanta. That was moving because he took a lot of abuse for that. He and Staughton Lynd, a fellow professor who was also from the North, stood with us. They were certainly behind us. In fact, they often stood in front of us. This had a huge impact on me. 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