--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can't rise as a class. You have to…" description: "\"You can't rise as a class. You have to rise individually. It's what many of the civil rights-era people don't understand.\" — Alphonso Jackson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e78/alphonso-jackson-21432_civil-rights_you-can-t-rise-as-a-class-you-have-to-ri_171655.jpg" --- # You can't rise as a class. You have to rise individually… ![“You can't rise as a class. You have to rise individually. It's what many of the civil rights-era people don't understand.” quote by Alphonso Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e78/alphonso-jackson-21432_civil-rights_you-can-t-rise-as-a-class-you-have-to-ri_171655.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e78/alphonso-jackson-21432_civil-rights_you-can-t-rise-as-a-class-you-have-to-ri_171655.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e78/alphonso-jackson-21432_civil-rights_you-can-t-rise-as-a-class-you-have-to-ri_171655.jpg) > “You can't rise as a class. You have to rise individually. It's what many of the civil rights-era people don't understand.” [Alphonso Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alphonso-jackson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Social progress depends on personal responsibility and self‑improvement rather than collective entitlement. **In simple terms:** Individual effort drives change, not group identity. Key Takeaway Focus on personal growth to influence society. Themes personal responsibility social change civil rights individualism empowerment Mood reflective determined Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - career advancement - education - community leadership - activism - self‑development Key Concepts self‑reliance agency social dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How can personal growth inspire broader social change? - When is collective action necessary? A Different Perspective Collective action can also be powerful; change isn’t solely individual. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Civil Right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-right/) [Civil rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-rights/) [Class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/class/) [Eras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eras/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rights/) [Teamwork](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teamwork/) ## Related quotes > [I'm one of the people that's managed to rise above my class, that's the working- class dream, the whole Lennon-esque, John Osborne kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mick-hucknall/i-m-one-of-the-people-that-s-managed-to-rise-above-my-class-that-s/) [Mick Hucknall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mick-hucknall/) > [“I tell you," said Augustine, "if there is anything that revealed with the strength of a divine law in our times, it is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-beecher-stowe/i-tell-you-said-augustine-if-there-is-anything-that-revealed-with-the/) [Harriet Beecher Stowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-beecher-stowe/) > [A lot of things happened in a lot of places. 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Racists are the thin-lipped mean white people in the movies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/in-america-racism-exists-but-racists-are-all-gone-racists-belong-to/) [Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/) > [I do not believe that defending traditional marriage between one man and one woman excludes anybody or usurps anybody's civil rights and denies anybody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-autry/i-do-not-believe-that-defending-traditional-marriage-between-one-man/) [Alan Autry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-autry/) > [The world - and America - has been defined by people who haven't necessarily abided by the laws and the rules. Civil disobedience is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-kennedy/the-world-and-america-has-been-defined-by-people-who-haven-t/) [Rory Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-kennedy/) > [The great paradox of the civil rights revolution is that instead of enforcing and expanding equality before the law, the revolution created differential rights…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-craig-roberts/the-great-paradox-of-the-civil-rights-revolution-is-that-instead-of/) [Paul Craig Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-craig-roberts/) > [I grew up in the early '60s, and there was a lot of civil rights, a lot of unrest in our country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herm-edwards/i-grew-up-in-the-early-60s-and-there-was-a-lot-of-civil-rights-a-lot/) [Herm Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herm-edwards/) > [Civil rights leaders are involved in helping poor people. That's what I've been doing all my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-young/civil-rights-leaders-are-involved-in-helping-poor-people-that-s-what/) [Andrew Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-young/) > [We are a nation of innovators and problem-solvers who sparked revolutions in democratic government, civil rights, communications, flight, rural electrification and technology. We are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-a-mcchrystal/we-are-a-nation-of-innovators-and-problem-solvers-who-sparked/) [Stanley A. McChrystal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-a-mcchrystal/) > [ The parts of the \[Civil Right\] Movement we recognize so well now were not born from a single decision, but were a complicated and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-aydin/the-parts-of-the-civil-right-movement-we-recognize-so-well-now-were/) [Andrew Aydin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-aydin/) > [American civil rights leader, Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community? Lynching is a murder. For the past four hundred years our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/american-civil-rights-leader-where-do-we-go-from-here-chaos-or/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Every one knows that the exercise of military power is forever dangerous to civil rights; and we have had recent instances of violences that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-adams/every-one-knows-that-the-exercise-of-military-power-is-forever/) [Samuel Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-adams/) ## More by Alphonso Jackson > [And what most people don't understand is the bulk of business in this country is small business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alphonso-jackson/and-what-most-people-don-t-understand-is-the-bulk-of-business-in-this/) [Alphonso Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alphonso-jackson/) > [But we look back now, and we realize the Great Society was not a success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alphonso-jackson/but-we-look-back-now-and-we-realize-the-great-society-was-not-a/) [Alphonso Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alphonso-jackson/) > [I think that there will always be a need for Housing and Urban Development.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alphonso-jackson/i-think-that-there-will-always-be-a-need-for-housing-and-urban/) [Alphonso Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alphonso-jackson/) > [They take pride in their schools. They begin to participate, where, when they are renters, they don't do that. So what we're doing by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alphonso-jackson/they-take-pride-in-their-schools-they-begin-to-participate-where-when/) [Alphonso Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alphonso-jackson/) > [But I do know this: that the two and a half years that I've been at HUD, I am absolutely convinced that some of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alphonso-jackson/but-i-do-know-this-that-the-two-and-a-half-years-that-i-ve-been-at/) [Alphonso Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alphonso-jackson/) > [The dream doesn't lie in victimization or blame; it lies in hard work, determination and a good education.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alphonso-jackson/the-dream-doesn-t-lie-in-victimization-or-blame-it-lies-in-hard-work/) [Alphonso Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alphonso-jackson/) > [As you know, in this country Anglo-Americans are about 75 to 76 percent home ownership in this country, where Hispanics, African Americans are less than 50 percent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alphonso-jackson/as-you-know-in-this-country-anglo-americans-are-about-75-to-76/) [Alphonso Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alphonso-jackson/) > [Progress for black Americans depends on good schools because education is the last great equalizer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alphonso-jackson/progress-for-black-americans-depends-on-good-schools-because/) [Alphonso Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alphonso-jackson/) > [And for far too long, the Democrats have had a monopoly on black votes in this country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alphonso-jackson/and-for-far-too-long-the-democrats-have-had-a-monopoly-on-black-votes/) [Alphonso Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alphonso-jackson/) > [We believe that, by the time that we leave office, it will be institutionalized, and these programs will be addressing the needs and curing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alphonso-jackson/we-believe-that-by-the-time-that-we-leave-office-it-will-be/) [Alphonso Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alphonso-jackson/) > [The other part of outsourcing is this: it simply says where the work can be done outside better than it can be done inside,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alphonso-jackson/the-other-part-of-outsourcing-is-this-it-simply-says-where-the-work/) [Alphonso Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alphonso-jackson/) > [America is a place where you can be born into a low-income household but still lift yourself up, and it doesn't matter what color…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alphonso-jackson/america-is-a-place-where-you-can-be-born-into-a-low-income-household/) [Alphonso Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alphonso-jackson/) > [And I'm the kind of manager that doesn't believe that you micro-manage professionals. They should understand their responsibility and carry out those responsibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alphonso-jackson/and-i-m-the-kind-of-manager-that-doesn-t-believe-that-you-micro/) [Alphonso Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alphonso-jackson/) > [For the first half of my adult life, I was a Democrat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alphonso-jackson/for-the-first-half-of-my-adult-life-i-was-a-democrat/) [Alphonso Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alphonso-jackson/) > [Being poor is a state of mind, not a condition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alphonso-jackson/being-poor-is-a-state-of-mind-not-a-condition/) [Alphonso Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alphonso-jackson/) [Explore all 29 Alphonso Jackson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alphonso-jackson/) ## More Civil rights quotes > [Every one knows that the exercise of military power is forever dangerous to civil rights; and we have had recent instances of violences that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-adams/every-one-knows-that-the-exercise-of-military-power-is-forever/) [Samuel Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-adams/) > [I am for freedom of religion, and against all maneuvers to bring about a legal ascendency of one sect over another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/i-am-for-freedom-of-religion-and-against-all-maneuvers-to-bring-about/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [I speak not for myself, but so those without a voice can be heard. Those who have fought for their rights. Their right to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malala-yousafzai/i-speak-not-for-myself-but-so-those-without-a-voice-can-be-heard/) [Malala Yousafzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malala-yousafzai/) > [The Patriot Act is certainly a concern; all of those things are dangerous. I think more important than me preaching is that we as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clooney/the-patriot-act-is-certainly-a-concern-all-of-those-things-are/) [George Clooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clooney/) > [American civil rights leader, Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community? Lynching is a murder. For the past four hundred years our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/american-civil-rights-leader-where-do-we-go-from-here-chaos-or/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [“Why do we apologize for advocating for ourselves? Why do we apologize for taking up space that we are entitled to? Why do we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-tambascio/why-do-we-apologize-for-advocating-for-ourselves-why-do-we-apologize/) Elizabeth Tambascio > [We are a nation of innovators and problem-solvers who sparked revolutions in democratic government, civil rights, communications, flight, rural electrification and technology. We are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-a-mcchrystal/we-are-a-nation-of-innovators-and-problem-solvers-who-sparked/) [Stanley A. McChrystal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-a-mcchrystal/) > [“Mental illness is not something you misunderstand in this era. Get educated because bias is no different than racism.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/mental-illness-is-not-something-you-misunderstand-in-this-era-get/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [Civil rights leaders are involved in helping poor people. That's what I've been doing all my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-young/civil-rights-leaders-are-involved-in-helping-poor-people-that-s-what/) [Andrew Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-young/) > [I grew up in the early '60s, and there was a lot of civil rights, a lot of unrest in our country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herm-edwards/i-grew-up-in-the-early-60s-and-there-was-a-lot-of-civil-rights-a-lot/) [Herm Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herm-edwards/) > [The great paradox of the civil rights revolution is that instead of enforcing and expanding equality before the law, the revolution created differential rights…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-craig-roberts/the-great-paradox-of-the-civil-rights-revolution-is-that-instead-of/) [Paul Craig Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-craig-roberts/) > [The world - and America - has been defined by people who haven't necessarily abided by the laws and the rules. Civil disobedience is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-kennedy/the-world-and-america-has-been-defined-by-people-who-haven-t/) [Rory Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-kennedy/) > [I do not believe that defending traditional marriage between one man and one woman excludes anybody or usurps anybody's civil rights and denies anybody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-autry/i-do-not-believe-that-defending-traditional-marriage-between-one-man/) [Alan Autry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-autry/) > [Truth is on the side of the oppressed today, it's against the oppressor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/truth-is-on-the-side-of-the-oppressed-today-it-s-against-the-oppressor/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [The notion of women being written out of history is as old as the Bible, but it always seems more galling when it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-thornberry/the-notion-of-women-being-written-out-of-history-is-as-old-as-the/) [Emily Thornberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-thornberry/) [Browse all 1,552 Civil rights quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-rights/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You can't rise as a class. 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