--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I just like to have words that describe…" description: "\"I just like to have words that describe things correctly. Now to me, 'black feminist' does not do that. I need a word that is organic, that really come..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7fc/alice-walker-347_black_i-just-like-to-have-words-that-describe_2270227.jpg" --- # I just like to have words that describe things correctly… ![“I just like to have words that describe things correctly. Now to me, 'black feminist' does not do that. I need a word that is organic, that really comes out of the culture, that really expresses the spirit that we see in black women. And it's just... womanish.” quote by Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7fc/alice-walker-347_black_i-just-like-to-have-words-that-describe_2270227.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7fc/alice-walker-347_black_i-just-like-to-have-words-that-describe_2270227.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7fc/alice-walker-347_black_i-just-like-to-have-words-that-describe_2270227.jpg) > “I just like to have words that describe things correctly. Now to me, 'black feminist' does not do that. I need a word that is organic, that really comes out of the culture, that really expresses the spirit that we see in black women. And it's just... womanish.” [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. A term should arise naturally from culture, not be imposed; it must feel authentic and organic. **In simple terms:** Words must fit the culture they describe. Key Takeaway Seek language that grows from lived experience. Themes identity language culture Mood thoughtful empowering Type critical inspirational When to use this quote - activism - literature - education - media representation Key Concepts semantic authenticity self‑definition Questions to Reflect On - What word best captures the spirit you seek? - How does language shape identity? A Different Perspective Labels can become restrictive if over‑used. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Black feminist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-feminist/) [Black women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-women/) [Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) [Feminism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminism/) [Feminist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminist/) [Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit/) [Women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/women/) [Words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/words/) ## Related quotes > [... not all black women have silently acquiesced in sexism and misogyny within the African-American community. 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I mean I recognize that my power as well as my primary oppressions come as a result of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/i-am-a-black-feminist-i-mean-i-recognize-that-my-power-as-well-as-my/) [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) > [I suggest that Black feminist thought consists of specialised knowledge created by African-American women which clarifies a standpoint of and for Black women. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-hill-collins/i-suggest-that-black-feminist-thought-consists-of-specialised/) [Patricia Hill Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-hill-collins/) > [“Audre Lorde once stated, “I am a Black Feminist. 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And also the relationship with men.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/womanists-is-what-black-feminists-used-to-call-themselves-very-much/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [I merged those two words, black and feminist, because I was surrounded by black women who were very tough and and who always assumed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/i-merged-those-two-words-black-and-feminist-because-i-was-surrounded/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [I stand here as a black lesbian feminist, having been invited to comment within the only panel at this conference where the input of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/i-stand-here-as-a-black-lesbian-feminist-having-been-invited-to/) [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) > [ “Awad Ibrahim, Sudanese professor of education at the University of Ottawa, described the process \[of becoming Black in America\] in these terms: "To become… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-samy-alim/awad-ibrahim-sudanese-professor-of-education-at-the-university-of/) H. Samy Alim > [Sex workers are the last women police stand in to protect. Sex workers are the last people that room is made for in many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-gira-grant/sex-workers-are-the-last-women-police-stand-in-to-protect-sex-workers/) [Melissa Gira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-gira-grant/) > [“The feminist philosophy that has shaped my thinking has been articulated most clearly by Marilyn Frye;67 Catharine MacKinnon68 has been influential in my understanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jensen/the-feminist-philosophy-that-has-shaped-my-thinking-has-been/) [Robert Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jensen/) > [We're going to have to debunk the myth that Africa is a heaven for black people -- especially black women. We've been the mule…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/we-re-going-to-have-to-debunk-the-myth-that-africa-is-a-heaven-for/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) ## 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 Black quotes > [I wanted to write about voodoo tradition that I feel has been very important to survival of black people here: people of the African…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesmyn-ward/i-wanted-to-write-about-voodoo-tradition-that-i-feel-has-been-very/) [Jesmyn Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesmyn-ward/) > [When you go to a club it's not about being black or white or heavy or thick. I'm shaking my ass because I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miley-cyrus/when-you-go-to-a-club-it-s-not-about-being-black-or-white-or-heavy-or/) [Miley Cyrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miley-cyrus/) > [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/) > [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [The term "black metal" has become a lot looser, or can include a larger range of sounds and extra-musical aesthetics, not just Satan and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-marston/the-term-black-metal-has-become-a-lot-looser-or-can-include-a-larger/) [Colin Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-marston/) > [How can you be more subject; black woman in a white man's world?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-duffy/how-can-you-be-more-subject-black-woman-in-a-white-man-s-world/) [Maureen Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-duffy/) > [We have to build our own power. We have to win every single political office we can, where we have a majority of black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-lou-hamer/we-have-to-build-our-own-power-we-have-to-win-every-single-political/) [Fannie Lou Hamer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-lou-hamer/) > [There is only one party in the United States, the Property Party...and it has two right wings: Republican and Democrat. Republicans are a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/there-is-only-one-party-in-the-united-states-the-property-party-and/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Black music has always known, and not been afraid to acknowledge just how high the stakes of Black thought are. To summarize the final…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-b-wilderson-iii/black-music-has-always-known-and-not-been-afraid-to-acknowledge-just/) Frank B. Wilderson III > [I know how hard it is to be a woman, especially a black woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/i-know-how-hard-it-is-to-be-a-woman-especially-a-black-woman/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [If soot stains your tunic, dye it black. This is vengeance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-scott-bakker/if-soot-stains-your-tunic-dye-it-black-this-is-vengeance/) [R. Scott Bakker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-scott-bakker/) > [Hollywood is so fixated on keeping it that way because it's generating the buzz, but that representation isn't right. I definitely feel like it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyega/hollywood-is-so-fixated-on-keeping-it-that-way-because-it-s/) [John Boyega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyega/) > [Nowadays most people wear black most of the time anyway: go to a literary party and one would imagine everyone there was in perpetual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fay-weldon/nowadays-most-people-wear-black-most-of-the-time-anyway-go-to-a/) [Fay Weldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fay-weldon/) > [There ain't no such thing as black Muslims. 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