--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Al Sharpton is not important. He's…" description: "\"Al Sharpton is not important. He's nothing more than a black pawn in a very sophisticated white economic chess game.\" — Byron Allen" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/375/byron-allen-30293_chess_al-sharpton-is-not-important-he-s-nothin_1833606.jpg" --- # Al Sharpton is not important. He's nothing more than a… ![“Al Sharpton is not important. He's nothing more than a black pawn in a very sophisticated white economic chess game.” quote by Byron Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/375/byron-allen-30293_chess_al-sharpton-is-not-important-he-s-nothin_1833606.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/375/byron-allen-30293_chess_al-sharpton-is-not-important-he-s-nothin_1833606.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/375/byron-allen-30293_chess_al-sharpton-is-not-important-he-s-nothin_1833606.jpg) > “Al Sharpton is not important. He's nothing more than a black pawn in a very sophisticated white economic chess game.” [Byron Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/byron-allen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The statement reduces a complex social issue to a simplistic racial metaphor, overlooking systemic factors. **In simple terms:** It oversimplifies race and economics. Key Takeaway Consider nuanced perspectives on power structures. Themes politics race economics Mood critical thoughtful Type opinion analysis When to use this quote - policy analysis - media critique - education Key Concepts critical theory systemic inequality Questions to Reflect On - What are the deeper causes of economic disparity? - How can we discuss race without reducing individuals to symbols? A Different Perspective Such framing can reinforce stereotypes and ignore agency. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Black Pawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-pawn-2294631/) [Chess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chess/) [Chess game](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chess-game/) [Economic Chess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economic-chess-2294630/) [Game](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/game/) [Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important/) [More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/more/) [Nothing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nothing/) [Sharpton Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sharpton-important-2294629/) [Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump/) ## Related quotes > [For 'Inhuman,' it's a 'chess game' series. You have a lot of pieces moving different ways at once, and it's about what they do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-soule/for-inhuman-it-s-a-chess-game-series-you-have-a-lot-of-pieces-moving/) [Charles Soule](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-soule/) > [I feel like my mum is in heaven sharing a cup of tea with Lady Fate and plotting my life out like a chess…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-frost/i-feel-like-my-mum-is-in-heaven-sharing-a-cup-of-tea-with-lady-fate/) [Jenny Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-frost/) > [The truth of the matter is that chess is not the game of life because life does not ever happen the way you strategize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-reynolds/the-truth-of-the-matter-is-that-chess-is-not-the-game-of-life-because/) [Jason Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-reynolds/) > [The game of Chess is not merely an idle amusement; several very valuable qualities of the mind are to be acquired and strengthened by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/the-game-of-chess-is-not-merely-an-idle-amusement-several-very/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Remy you're my king." I hug him hard. "There's no chess game for me without you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-evans/remy-you-re-my-king-i-hug-him-hard-there-s-no-chess-game-for-me/) [Katy Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-evans/) > [The hardest game to win is a won game](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emanuel-lasker/the-hardest-game-to-win-is-a-won-game/) [Emanuel Lasker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emanuel-lasker/) > [Good positions don't win games, good moves do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-abrahams/good-positions-don-t-win-games-good-moves-do/) [Gerald Abrahams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-abrahams/) > [Chess is a game where all different sorts of people can come together, not a game in which people are divided because of their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hikaru-nakamura/chess-is-a-game-where-all-different-sorts-of-people-can-come-together/) [Hikaru Nakamura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hikaru-nakamura/) > [Human affairs are like a chess game. Only those who do not take it seriously can be called good players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zicheng-hong/human-affairs-are-like-a-chess-game-only-those-who-do-not-take-it/) [Zicheng Hong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zicheng-hong/) > [Later, I began to succeed in decisive games. Perhaps because I realized a very simple truth: not only was I worried, but also my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-tal/later-i-began-to-succeed-in-decisive-games-perhaps-because-i-realized/) [Mikhail Tal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-tal/) > [I stopped taking notes on my Palm Pilot and started playing the little chess game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/i-stopped-taking-notes-on-my-palm-pilot-and-started-playing-the/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [Blessed be the memory of him who gave the world this immortal game](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-george-gardiner/blessed-be-the-memory-of-him-who-gave-the-world-this-immortal-game/) [Alfred George Gardiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-george-gardiner/) > [I had a toothache during the first game. In the second game I had a headache. In the third game it was an attack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siegbert-tarrasch/i-had-a-toothache-during-the-first-game-in-the-second-game-i-had-a/) [Siegbert Tarrasch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siegbert-tarrasch/) > [Modern Chess is too much concerned with things like Pawn structure. Forget it, Checkmate ends the game](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-short/modern-chess-is-too-much-concerned-with-things-like-pawn-structure/) [Nigel Short](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-short/) > [Because of the level of my chess game, I was able - even against a weak opponent, such as my younger brothers or the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/because-of-the-level-of-my-chess-game-i-was-able-even-against-a-weak/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) ## More by Byron Allen > [I personally knew and worked with Sammy Davis, Jr. Sammy hired me to open for him at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/byron-allen/i-personally-knew-and-worked-with-sammy-davis-jr-sammy-hired-me-to/) [Byron Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/byron-allen/) > [Black America now has the power to achieve economic inclusion, which we rightfully deserve because we built this country. This is a conversation that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/byron-allen/black-america-now-has-the-power-to-achieve-economic-inclusion-which/) [Byron Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/byron-allen/) > [I'm not chasing independence, I'm chasing Walt Disney. I'm looking for a large piece of that box-office pie, not a tiny piece of that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/byron-allen/i-m-not-chasing-independence-i-m-chasing-walt-disney-i-m-looking-for/) [Byron Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/byron-allen/) > [It's odd to say we had our first African American president before our first African-American-owned movie studio, but we're making progress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/byron-allen/it-s-odd-to-say-we-had-our-first-african-american-president-before/) [Byron Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/byron-allen/) > [We need one America - one that includes housing, education, jobs, access to capital, and economic inclusion for every American. This will create a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/byron-allen/we-need-one-america-one-that-includes-housing-education-jobs-access/) [Byron Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/byron-allen/) > [What we have to do is get the corporations to understand you must include African-American-owned media.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/byron-allen/what-we-have-to-do-is-get-the-corporations-to-understand-you-must/) [Byron Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/byron-allen/) > [There has to be a place carved out for independents, films where the heroes don't fly around in capes, but there are journeys and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/byron-allen/there-has-to-be-a-place-carved-out-for-independents-films-where-the/) [Byron Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/byron-allen/) > [When you start punishing and censoring comedians, that's a real bad sign of us as Americans losing our First Amendment rights. As a comedian,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/byron-allen/when-you-start-punishing-and-censoring-comedians-that-s-a-real-bad/) [Byron Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/byron-allen/) > [I'm listening to the audience. Too many people in Hollywood make what they want to see and not what we want to see. I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/byron-allen/i-m-listening-to-the-audience-too-many-people-in-hollywood-make-what/) [Byron Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/byron-allen/) > [When 'Real People' aired in 1979, we did OK in Los Angeles and New York. What kept that show from being canceled were the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/byron-allen/when-real-people-aired-in-1979-we-did-ok-in-los-angeles-and-new-york/) [Byron Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/byron-allen/) > [I think you develop strong instincts when you're a comedian. You have to pay your bills by making people laugh every six seconds... or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/byron-allen/i-think-you-develop-strong-instincts-when-you-re-a-comedian-you-have/) [Byron Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/byron-allen/) > [I have to have a seat at the table. I have to have a say on how we, as African-Americans, are produced and depicted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/byron-allen/i-have-to-have-a-seat-at-the-table-i-have-to-have-a-say-on-how-we-as/) [Byron Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/byron-allen/) > [When you look at America and its diversity, it's not a coincidence it's the best country on earth. Subtract that diversity, and it wouldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/byron-allen/when-you-look-at-america-and-its-diversity-it-s-not-a-coincidence-it/) [Byron Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/byron-allen/) > [Hollywood is a casino. You have to put your chips on the table and hope for the best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/byron-allen/hollywood-is-a-casino-you-have-to-put-your-chips-on-the-table-and/) [Byron Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/byron-allen/) > [At the very least, you must make the Internet free in areas that are poverty-stricken. Without the Internet and access to information, poverty-stricken households…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/byron-allen/at-the-very-least-you-must-make-the-internet-free-in-areas-that-are/) [Byron Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/byron-allen/) [Explore all 17 Byron Allen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/byron-allen/) ## More Chess quotes > [I have known many chess players, but among them there has been only one genius - Capablanca!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emanuel-lasker/i-have-known-many-chess-players-but-among-them-there-has-been-only/) [Emanuel Lasker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emanuel-lasker/) > [Real chessplayers think about chess more or less 24 hours a day. It is a passion and a fate that one has to live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simen-agdestein/real-chessplayers-think-about-chess-more-or-less-24-hours-a-day-it-is/) [Simen Agdestein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simen-agdestein/) > [It's interesting that the greatest minds of computer science, the founding fathers, like Alan Turing and Claude Shannon and Norbert Wiener, they all looked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-kasparov/it-s-interesting-that-the-greatest-minds-of-computer-science-the/) [Garry Kasparov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-kasparov/) > [“Relationships are chess for women," he said. "They can see the whole board, plan way ahead. They're the queens, after all. We're the kings,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-lippman/relationships-are-chess-for-women-he-said-they-can-see-the-whole/) [Laura Lippman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-lippman/) > [The election of Trump threw the chess board up. The pieces are all over the place. That's upsetting to a lot of people, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-rubin/the-election-of-trump-threw-the-chess-board-up-the-pieces-are-all/) [Dave Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-rubin/) > [Playing for complications is an extreme measure that a player should adopt only when he cannot find a clear and logical plan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-alekhine/playing-for-complications-is-an-extreme-measure-that-a-player-should/) [Alexander Alekhine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-alekhine/) > [“the shadows. “Why do you think they invented chess?” “He’s got you there,” said the captain, following Fletcher. Jake jogged slightly to catch up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-blake/the-shadows-why-do-you-think-they-invented-chess-he-s-got-you-there/) [Russell Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-blake/) > [ \[Photographer Julian Wasser\] had this great idea that I should play chess naked with Marcel Duchamp and it seem to be such a great… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-babitz/photographer-julian-wasser-had-this-great-idea-that-i-should-play/) [Eve Babitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-babitz/) > [Chess is a good mistress but a bad master.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-abrahams/chess-is-a-good-mistress-but-a-bad-master/) [Gerald Abrahams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-abrahams/) > [I am not some sort of freak. I might be very good at chess but I'm just a normal person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magnus-carlsen/i-am-not-some-sort-of-freak-i-might-be-very-good-at-chess-but-i-m/) [Magnus Carlsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magnus-carlsen/) > [Some sacrifices are sound; the rest are mine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-tal/some-sacrifices-are-sound-the-rest-are-mine/) [Mikhail Tal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-tal/) > [My parents were very supportive of my chess. When I got home after a game of chess, having missed school or something, they always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viswanathan-anand/my-parents-were-very-supportive-of-my-chess-when-i-got-home-after-a/) [Viswanathan Anand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viswanathan-anand/) > [Amberley excelled at chess - a mark, Watson, of a scheming mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/amberley-excelled-at-chess-a-mark-watson-of-a-scheming-mind/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [In high school, my sister went out with the captain of the chess team. My parents loved him... They figured that any guy that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-kiley/in-high-school-my-sister-went-out-with-the-captain-of-the-chess-team/) [Brian Kiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-kiley/) > [The King is a fighting piece. Use it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilhelm-steinitz/the-king-is-a-fighting-piece-use-it/) [Wilhelm Steinitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilhelm-steinitz/) [Browse all 2,003 Chess quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chess/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Al Sharpton is not important. 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