--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: So, to say Barack Obama is progress is…" description: "\"So, to say Barack Obama is progress is saying that he's the first black person that is qualified to be president. That's not black progress. That's whi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8da/chris-rock-767_barack_so-to-say-barack-obama-is-progress-is-sa_838841.jpg" --- # So, to say Barack Obama is progress is saying that he's… ![“So, to say Barack Obama is progress is saying that he's the first black person that is qualified to be president. That's not black progress. That's white progress.” quote by Chris Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8da/chris-rock-767_barack_so-to-say-barack-obama-is-progress-is-sa_838841.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8da/chris-rock-767_barack_so-to-say-barack-obama-is-progress-is-sa_838841.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8da/chris-rock-767_barack_so-to-say-barack-obama-is-progress-is-sa_838841.jpg) > “So, to say Barack Obama is progress is saying that he's the first black person that is qualified to be president. That's not black progress. That's white progress.” [Chris Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rock/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Labeling a Black president as progress ignores systemic racial inequities; it reflects white-centric narratives. **In simple terms:** Progress should be inclusive. Key Takeaway Recognize systemic bias. Themes race politics progress identity social justice Mood critical provocative Type satirical analytical When to use this quote - voting - activism - education - public discourse Key Concepts critical race theory political analysis media studies Questions to Reflect On - How can we define progress for marginalized groups? - What steps ensure inclusive representation? A Different Perspective Some may view this as divisive, sparking backlash. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Barack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/barack/) [Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black/) [Black person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-person/) [Black Progress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-progress-623109/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Obama Progress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obama-progress-623108/) [Persons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persons/) [President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president/) [Progress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/progress/) [Progress Saying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/progress-saying-623110/) [Progress White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/progress-white-623112/) [Qualified](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/qualified/) [Race relations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/race-relations/) [Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump/) [White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white/) [White Progress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white-progress-623111/) ## Related quotes > [So, to say Obama is progress is saying that he’s the first black person that is qualified to be president. That’s not black progress.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rock/so-to-say-obama-is-progress-is-saying-that-he-s-the-first-black/) [Chris Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rock/) > [When they kept you out it was because you were black; when they let you in, it is because you are black. That's progress?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-french/when-they-kept-you-out-it-was-because-you-were-black-when-they-let/) [Marilyn French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-french/) > [What was happening was the war on drugs. That was the primary culprit I could see that was getting in the way of black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-jarecki/what-was-happening-was-the-war-on-drugs-that-was-the-primary-culprit/) [Eugene Jarecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-jarecki/) > [“The Left would like to believe that racism—not the breakdown of marriage and family, the absence of religious norms, a degraded popular culture, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/the-left-would-like-to-believe-that-racism-not-the-breakdown-of/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [They oughtta change Black History Month to Black Progress Month and start measuring it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/they-oughtta-change-black-history-month-to-black-progress-month-and/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [A black Christian is like a black person with no memory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rock/a-black-christian-is-like-a-black-person-with-no-memory/) [Chris Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rock/) > [Sometimes, you feel like, 'Am I going to be upset about this as a black person or as a woman first? Or am I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-williams/sometimes-you-feel-like-am-i-going-to-be-upset-about-this-as-a-black/) [Jessica Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-williams/) > [I don't understand most blacks, they think that it's all white peoples fault. All this is just distraction from what's really happening in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-davoti/i-don-t-understand-most-blacks-they-think-that-it-s-all-white-peoples/) [Kristen Davoti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-davoti/) > [...people will go for anything they don't understand if it's got enough hype. They want to be hip, want always to be in on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-davis/people-will-go-for-anything-they-don-t-understand-if-it-s-got-enough/) [Miles Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-davis/) > [“Athletes, we were supposed to just be there, and in class I made it a point that I was prepared for every exam, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-wilkens/athletes-we-were-supposed-to-just-be-there-and-in-class-i-made-it-a/) [Lenny Wilkens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-wilkens/) > [I was born in Jackson, Mississippi, in 1969, in a time and place where no one was saying, 'Look how far we've come,' because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-stockett/i-was-born-in-jackson-mississippi-in-1969-in-a-time-and-place-where/) [Kathryn Stockett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-stockett/) > [No poor, rural, weak, or black person should ever again have to bear the additional burden of being deprived of the opportunity for an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/no-poor-rural-weak-or-black-person-should-ever-again-have-to-bear-the/) [Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/) > [I don't think I'm really so unique. If every black person looked at their life they would quickly discover that they have been influenced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-ayers/i-don-t-think-i-m-really-so-unique-if-every-black-person-looked-at/) [Roy Ayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-ayers/) > [For me, music doesn't have a color. 'Teen Spirit' is a fire song made by a white guy that me as a black person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/goldlink/for-me-music-doesn-t-have-a-color-teen-spirit-is-a-fire-song-made-by/) [Goldlink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/goldlink/) > [I don't understand how any black person can tell me that they're not pro-gun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/killer-mike/i-don-t-understand-how-any-black-person-can-tell-me-that-they-re-not/) [Killer Mike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/killer-mike/) ## More by Chris Rock > [Ja Rule is not Tupac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rock/ja-rule-is-not-tupac/) [Chris Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rock/) > [Right now, my job is that I'm like an ambulance chaser. I've got to look for movies with white guys falling out of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rock/right-now-my-job-is-that-i-m-like-an-ambulance-chaser-i-ve-got-to/) [Chris Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rock/) > [If you live with a single parent, you don't see compromise. You witness a grown person living in a world where they do what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rock/if-you-live-with-a-single-parent-you-don-t-see-compromise-you-witness/) [Chris Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rock/) > [Nobody ever says, 'Hey daddy, thanks for knockin' out this rent.' 'Hey daddy, I sure love this hot water.' 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People deal with emotions in music all the time, but comedians are always talking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rock/there-s-not-one-reference-in-that-thing-that-doesn-t-play-people-deal/) [Chris Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rock/) > [My mother got sick when I was rich. And my mother, you know … I don’t really want to get into it, but my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rock/my-mother-got-sick-when-i-was-rich-and-my-mother-you-know-i-don-t/) [Chris Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rock/) > [I think anybody in front of a crowd is a comedian.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rock/i-think-anybody-in-front-of-a-crowd-is-a-comedian/) [Chris Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rock/) > [I see as white people finding loopholes in the slavery laws.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rock/i-see-as-white-people-finding-loopholes-in-the-slavery-laws/) [Chris Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rock/) > [Here's the thing. When we talk about race relations in America or racial progress, it's all nonsense. There are no race relations. White people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rock/here-s-the-thing-when-we-talk-about-race-relations-in-america-or/) [Chris Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rock/) > [I was raised to believe that you had to do things better than white people in order to succeed. The old black shows were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rock/i-was-raised-to-believe-that-you-had-to-do-things-better-than-white/) [Chris Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rock/) > [Men lie the most, women tell the biggest lies... a man's lie is, "I'm at Tony house, I was at Kenny house!" 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They're in Raqqa, Syria.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/i-can-tell-you-who-s-planning-terroris-attacks-the-leaders-of-isil/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) > [ The president \[Barack Obama\] asked for a commitment of, I think, 100,000 jobs for veterans and military spouses over the next couple of years.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/the-president-barack-obama-asked-for-a-commitment-of-i-think-100-000/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [The big story today, Barack Obama was accused of insulting Sarah Palin when he criticized Republican policies by saying, you can put lipstick on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/the-big-story-today-barack-obama-was-accused-of-insulting-sarah-palin/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) > [ I think the president's \[Barack Obama\] position has been very clear on Syria. He wants more aggressive, he's put the Special Ops on the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-williams/i-think-the-president-s-barack-obama-position-has-been-very-clear-on/) [Juan Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-williams/) > [ It cannot be an American fight. And I think what the president \[Barack Obama\] has consistently said - which I agree with - is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/it-cannot-be-an-american-fight-and-i-think-what-the-president-barack/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [It doesn't matter to me where Barack Obama goes. If he wants to go to Hawaii because it's his home state, fine! Hunky-dory. 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In private, he can discuss it at a really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-chait/in-public-barack-obama-s-giving-the-simple-version-of-his-beliefs-for/) [Jonathan Chait](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-chait/) [Browse all 1,672 Barack quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/barack/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "So, to say Barack Obama is progress is saying that he's the first black person that is qualified to be president. That's not black progress. 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