--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You know, when Trayvon Martin was first…" description: "\"You know, when Trayvon Martin was first shot I said that this could have been my son. Another way of saying that is Trayvon Martin could have been me 3..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23e/barack-obama-17_african-american_you-know-when-trayvon-martin-was-first-s_3031288.jpg" --- # You know, when Trayvon Martin was first shot I said that… ![“You know, when Trayvon Martin was first shot I said that this could have been my son. Another way of saying that is Trayvon Martin could have been me 35 years ago. And when you think about why, in the African American community at least, there's a lot of pain around what happened here, I think…” quote by Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23e/barack-obama-17_african-american_you-know-when-trayvon-martin-was-first-s_3031288.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23e/barack-obama-17_african-american_you-know-when-trayvon-martin-was-first-s_3031288.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23e/barack-obama-17_african-american_you-know-when-trayvon-martin-was-first-s_3031288.jpg) > “You know, when Trayvon Martin was first shot I said that this could have been my son. Another way of saying that is Trayvon Martin could have been me 35 years ago. And when you think about why, in the African American community at least, there's a lot of pain around what happened here, I think it's important to recognize that the African American community is looking at this issue through a set of experiences and a history that doesn't go away.” [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. Personal identification with Trayvon Martin highlights systemic pain in African‑American history. **In simple terms:** Seeing Trayvon as oneself reveals deep community hurt. Key Takeaway Acknowledge and address historical trauma. Themes social justice race history Mood empathetic somber Type speech reflection When to use this quote - policy reform - education - public dialogue Key Concepts systemic racism community healing Questions to Reflect On - How can personal empathy drive policy change? - What steps heal community wounds? A Different Perspective Addressing trauma alone may not solve structural inequality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [African american](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/african-american/) [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [Going away](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/going-away/) [Issues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/issues/) [Pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pain/) [Son](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/son/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Trayvon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trayvon/) ## Related quotes > [ Trayvon Martin could have been any of our sons, so I was not especially moved by that remark of President \[Barack\] Obama's. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-malveaux/trayvon-martin-could-have-been-any-of-our-sons-so-i-was-not/) [Julianne Malveaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-malveaux/) > [As a historian of American and African-American religion, I know that the Trayvon Martin moment is just one moment in a history of racism…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthea-butler/as-a-historian-of-american-and-african-american-religion-i-know-that/) [Anthea Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthea-butler/) > [The same kinds of stereotypes and hunches that George Zimmerman used when deciding that, you know, Trayvon Martin seemed like a threat in his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-alexander/the-same-kinds-of-stereotypes-and-hunches-that-george-zimmerman-used/) [Michelle Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-alexander/) > [Trayvon Martin could have been me 35 years ago.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/trayvon-martin-could-have-been-me-35-years-ago/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [My main message is to the parents of Trayvon Martin. You know, if I had a son, he'd look like Trayvon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/my-main-message-is-to-the-parents-of-trayvon-martin-you-know-if-i-had/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I was reading the paper and saw a cartoon with Ray Kelly frisking Obama, and I was like "Wait, what's happening?" so I Googled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adepero-oduye/i-was-reading-the-paper-and-saw-a-cartoon-with-ray-kelly-frisking/) [Adepero Oduye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adepero-oduye/) > [Trayvon Martin, at the most, seems only to have been guilty of being himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aberjhani/trayvon-martin-at-the-most-seems-only-to-have-been-guilty-of-being/) [Aberjhani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aberjhani/) > [The vision preached by my father a half-century ago was that his four little children would no longer live in a nation where they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/the-vision-preached-by-my-father-a-half-century-ago-was-that-his-four/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [The cure for the Michael Brown, Trayvon Martin, Tamir Rice and Eric Garner tragedies is not education or exposure. It's the Gospel. So, finally,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-watson/the-cure-for-the-michael-brown-trayvon-martin-tamir-rice-and-eric/) [Benjamin Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-watson/) > [I think the hoodie is as much responsible for Trayvon Martin's death as George Zimmerman was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geraldo-rivera/i-think-the-hoodie-is-as-much-responsible-for-trayvon-martin-s-death/) [Geraldo Rivera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geraldo-rivera/) > [We have two boys. After George Zimmerman was found not guilty of killing Trayvon Martin, we had to explain to our older son, who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-prince-bythewood/we-have-two-boys-after-george-zimmerman-was-found-not-guilty-of/) [Gina Prince-Bythewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-prince-bythewood/) > [ Over the course of the years, I've learned \[that\] fashion is a fascinating business about selling magic. It is done on the backs of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-givhan/over-the-course-of-the-years-i-ve-learned-that-fashion-is-a/) [Robin Givhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-givhan/) > [ \[Barack Obama\] intended, I think, to say that he took Trayvon's \[ Martin\] death somewhat personally. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-malveaux/barack-obama-intended-i-think-to-say-that-he-took-trayvon-s-martin/) [Julianne Malveaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-malveaux/) > [ If \[George\] Zimmerman had been arrested for domestic violence, Trayvon Martin might still be alive. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/if-george-zimmerman-had-been-arrested-for-domestic-violence-trayvon/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [The media needs to stop trying to dehumanize Trayvon Martin when they need to focus on why George Zimmerman is free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enhance-dreams/the-media-needs-to-stop-trying-to-dehumanize-trayvon-martin-when-they/) Enhance Dreams ## 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 \[Dreams from My Father\]. How do we exercise more empathy in our public discourse? How do we… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/that-is-another-theme-in-the-book-dreams-from-my-father-how-do-we/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I can say across Europe that many principles that have been taken for granted here around free speech, and around civil liberties and an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-can-say-across-europe-that-many-principles-that-have-been-taken-for/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [So Americans understand the costs of war. Yet as a country, we will never tolerate our security being threatened, nor stand idly by when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-americans-understand-the-costs-of-war-yet-as-a-country-we-will/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I want to thank the Greek people publicly for their humanitarian response to the crisis of so many migrants and refugees seeking safety in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-want-to-thank-the-greek-people-publicly-for-their-humanitarian/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [We had a farewell dinner for some of my senior staff, and generally everybody likes to talk about how cool I was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-had-a-farewell-dinner-for-some-of-my-senior-staff-and-generally/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [ It's good to get fresh legs in \[the White house\]. I think that it refreshes our democracy. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/it-s-good-to-get-fresh-legs-in-the-white-house-i-think-that-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Believe it or not, entertainment is part of our American diplomacy, it is part of what makes us exceptional, part of what makes us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/believe-it-or-not-entertainment-is-part-of-our-american-diplomacy-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) [Explore all 3,624 Barack Obama quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## More African american quotes > [This is, for an accomplished Latino, an accomplished African American, an accomplished anyone who disproves stereotypes, it's a constant battle in your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/this-is-for-an-accomplished-latino-an-accomplished-african-american/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [I grew up in Synagogue in the boys' choir. 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I am here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-mehlman/some-republicans-gave-up-on-winning-the-african-american-vote-looking/) [Ken Mehlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-mehlman/) > [It's unfortunate that a lot of people think African-American female artists are monolithically R&B this-or-that, don't have to do anything by default.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/it-s-unfortunate-that-a-lot-of-people-think-african-american-female/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [Whereas our ancestors (not of choice) were the first successful cultivators of the wilds of America, we their descendants feel ourselves entitled to participate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-allen/whereas-our-ancestors-not-of-choice-were-the-first-successful/) [Richard Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-allen/) > [It may be changing, but still it's the one place, that total control of an institution, that African Americans have. 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