--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Later, I would realize that the position…" description: "\"Later, I would realize that the position of most black students in predominantly white colleges was already too tenuous, our identities too scrambled, ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/030/barack-obama-17_black_later-i-would-realize-that-the-position_997833.jpg" --- # Later, I would realize that the position of most black… ![“Later, I would realize that the position of most black students in predominantly white colleges was already too tenuous, our identities too scrambled, to admit to ourselves that our black pride remained incomplete. And to admit our doubt and confusion to whites, to open up our psyches to general…” quote by Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/030/barack-obama-17_black_later-i-would-realize-that-the-position_997833.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/030/barack-obama-17_black_later-i-would-realize-that-the-position_997833.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/030/barack-obama-17_black_later-i-would-realize-that-the-position_997833.jpg) > “Later, I would realize that the position of most black students in predominantly white colleges was already too tenuous, our identities too scrambled, to admit to ourselves that our black pride remained incomplete. And to admit our doubt and confusion to whites, to open up our psyches to general examination by those who had caused so much of the damage in the first place, seemed ludicrous, itself an expression of self-hatred - for there seemed no reason to expect that whites would look at our private struggles as a mirror into their own souls, rather than yet more evidence of black pathology.” [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Black students face fragile positions in predominantly white institutions, making it difficult to express pride and confront systemic racism. **In simple terms:** Black students feel insecure and hesitant to discuss racism. Key Takeaway Create supportive environments that validate identity and encourage honest dialogue. Themes identity racism education Mood hopeful serious Type motivational reflective When to use this quote - college campuses - student mentorship - diversity training - community forums Key Concepts critical race theory psychology Questions to Reflect On - What structures can protect vulnerable voices? - How can allies effectively support black students? A Different Perspective Fear of backlash can silence essential conversations. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Black pride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-pride/) [College](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college/) [Confusion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confusion/) [Damage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/damage/) [Doubt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubt/) [Expression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expression/) [First place](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-place/) [Hatred](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hatred/) [Identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/) [Mirrors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mirrors/) [Pride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pride/) [Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul/) [Struggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/struggle/) [Students](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/students/) ## Related quotes > [At 16, I went to Smith College in Massachusetts and that was right after the peak of the civil-rights movement and all the rest.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yolanda-king/at-16-i-went-to-smith-college-in-massachusetts-and-that-was-right/) [Yolanda King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yolanda-king/) > [We must realise that prophetic cry of black students: Black man you are on your own!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-biko/we-must-realise-that-prophetic-cry-of-black-students-black-man-you/) [Steven Biko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-biko/) > [All Southern state colleges and universities are open to black students.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/constance-baker-motley/all-southern-state-colleges-and-universities-are-open-to-black/) [Constance Baker Motley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/constance-baker-motley/) > [“But black students were left on their own.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabel-wilkerson/but-black-students-were-left-on-their-own/) [Isabel Wilkerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabel-wilkerson/) > [I could do all of my activities at Howard because it was an environment that had essentially rid the ideology of false choices that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamala-harris/i-could-do-all-of-my-activities-at-howard-because-it-was-an/) [Kamala Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamala-harris/) > [“...anyone still attempting to argue that Ebonics is a problem for black students or that it is somehow connected to a lack of intelligence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-j-banks/anyone-still-attempting-to-argue-that-ebonics-is-a-problem-for-black/) Adam J. 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And there were the black students…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roxane-gay/we-were-three-hours-from-chicago-so-my-blackness-was-less-of-a/) [Roxane Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roxane-gay/) > [“As with most voluntary school integration programs, dispersal of the black children was the norm. In Portland, no more than forty-five black children were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derrick-bell/as-with-most-voluntary-school-integration-programs-dispersal-of-the/) [Derrick Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derrick-bell/) > [I was one of the first three black students to go to an all-white school in Tennessee.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-scott-heron/i-was-one-of-the-first-three-black-students-to-go-to-an-all-white/) [Gil Scott-Heron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/) > [ If I talk to black students on campus, they're not sympathetic to the people who are not sympathetic with \[Black Lives Matter movement\]. The… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-davis-hanson/if-i-talk-to-black-students-on-campus-they-re-not-sympathetic-to-the/) [Victor Davis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-davis-hanson/) ## More by Barack Obama > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The peaceful transition of power is one of the hallmarks of our democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-peaceful-transition-of-power-is-one-of-the-hallmarks-of-our/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [As opposed to getting into arguments about, well, these folks have been treated fairly so now we're going to be doing things that, very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/as-opposed-to-getting-into-arguments-about-well-these-folks-have-been/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Donald Trump is temperamentally unfit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/donald-trump-is-temperamentally-unfit/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [What we've said to the girls is: 'If you guys ever decide that you're going to get a tattoo, then mommy and me will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/what-we-ve-said-to-the-girls-is-if-you-guys-ever-decide-that-you-re/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Nobody is listening to your telephone calls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/nobody-is-listening-to-your-telephone-calls/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [All of us take offense to anyone who reaps the rewards of living in America without taking on the responsibilities of living in America.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/all-of-us-take-offense-to-anyone-who-reaps-the-rewards-of-living-in/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The world is complicated and full of grays, but there's still truth there to be found.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-world-is-complicated-and-full-of-grays-but-there-s-still-truth/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [ That is another theme in the book \[Dreams from My Father\]. 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