---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When our founding fathers drafted the…"
description: "\"When our founding fathers drafted the Constitution and Bill of Rights, black people weren't even considered human.\" — Claudette Colvin"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/136/claudette-colvin-17532_bill-of-rights_when-our-founding-fathers-drafted-the-co_2755826.jpg"
---

#  When our founding fathers drafted the Constitution and…

![“When our founding fathers drafted the Constitution and Bill of Rights, black people weren't even considered human.” quote by Claudette Colvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/136/claudette-colvin-17532_bill-of-rights_when-our-founding-fathers-drafted-the-co_2755826.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/136/claudette-colvin-17532_bill-of-rights_when-our-founding-fathers-drafted-the-co_2755826.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/136/claudette-colvin-17532_bill-of-rights_when-our-founding-fathers-drafted-the-co_2755826.jpg)

> “When our founding fathers drafted the Constitution and Bill of Rights, black people weren't even considered human.”

[Claudette Colvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudette-colvin/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The founding documents excluded Black people from full humanity and rights.

**In simple terms:** Black people were ignored in early US law.

Key Takeaway

Recognize and address historic exclusion.

Themes

equality justice human rights

Mood

reflective somber

Type

historical political

When to use this quote

- education curricula
- policy reform
- community dialogue
- activism

Key Concepts

racism constitutional law civil rights

Questions to Reflect On

- How can we honor the original ideals while confronting past injustices?
- What steps can individuals take to promote inclusion?

A Different Perspective

The Constitution later amended to include rights, but systemic bias persists.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Bill of rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bill-of-rights/) [Black people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-people/) [Constitution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constitution/) [Founding fathers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/founding-fathers/) [Human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rights/)

## Related quotes

> [In these sacred documents are embodied eternal principles that no man, group of men, or nation has the right to withhold from others. Here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/in-these-sacred-documents-are-embodied-eternal-principles-that-no-man/)

[Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/)

> [Join America taught English, an understanding of the U.S. Constitution, that the Bill of Rights is the ultimate insurance policy for a citizen, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niger-innis/join-america-taught-english-an-understanding-of-the-u-s-constitution/)

[Niger Innis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niger-innis/)

> [The Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights were all written by affluent white males, but to discuss them in any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-freedman/the-declaration-of-independence-the-constitution-and-the-bill-of/)

[Russell Freedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-freedman/)

> [I am in favor, heartily in favor, of our Constitution and Bill of Rights and I owe my allegiance to my country at all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-am-in-favor-heartily-in-favor-of-our-constitution-and-bill-of/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [My - mine is based on the fact that Bill Clinton has done - and I'm - this sounds like hyperbole, but he has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nat-hentoff/my-mine-is-based-on-the-fact-that-bill-clinton-has-done-and-i-m-this/)

[Nat Hentoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nat-hentoff/)

> [I also wish that the Pledge of Allegiance were directed at the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, as it is when the President…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-also-wish-that-the-pledge-of-allegiance-were-directed-at-the/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [The Constitution and the Bill of Rights we designed to get the government off the backs of the people -- all the people. Those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/the-constitution-and-the-bill-of-rights-we-designed-to-get-the/)

[William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/)

> [You've got to protect the system of secular faith in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights and Enlightenment values. That way, you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dreyfuss/you-ve-got-to-protect-the-system-of-secular-faith-in-the-constitution/)

[Richard Dreyfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dreyfuss/)

> [In recent years it has been suggested that the Second Amendment protects the "collective" right of states to maintain militias, while it does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-halbrook/in-recent-years-it-has-been-suggested-that-the-second-amendment/)

Stephen Halbrook

> [If the citizens of the United States are to turn away from the Communist Manifesto and preserve the purpose of the Declaration of Independence,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-norris/if-the-citizens-of-the-united-states-are-to-turn-away-from-the/)

[Chuck Norris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-norris/)

> [The Founders who crafted our Constitution and Bill of Rights were careful to draft a Constitution of limited powers - one that would protect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/the-founders-who-crafted-our-constitution-and-bill-of-rights-were/)

[Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/)

> [The right to be let alone is the underlying principle of the Constitution's Bill of Rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-griswold/the-right-to-be-let-alone-is-the-underlying-principle-of-the/)

Erwin Griswold

> [People in this country need to understand when you go to any airport in the United States, you are not protected by the Constitution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-ventura/people-in-this-country-need-to-understand-when-you-go-to-any-airport/)

[Jesse Ventura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-ventura/)

> [During the 19th-century struggle for women's rights in America, many saw a competition between rights for black people and those for women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-decrow/during-the-19th-century-struggle-for-women-s-rights-in-america-many/)

[Karen DeCrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-decrow/)

> [“I am an educated black woman in a time when educated black people will be called upon to risk everything for the rights of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allan-dare-pearce/i-am-an-educated-black-woman-in-a-time-when-educated-black-people/)

[Allan Dare Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allan-dare-pearce/)

## More by Claudette Colvin

> [I lost most of my friends. Their parents had told them to stay away from me, because they said I was crazy, I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudette-colvin/i-lost-most-of-my-friends-their-parents-had-told-them-to-stay-away/)

[Claudette Colvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudette-colvin/)

> [When I got to 10th grade at Booker T. Washington High, I had a teacher, Miss Geraldine Nesbitt. I think she came from New…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudette-colvin/when-i-got-to-10th-grade-at-booker-t-washington-high-i-had-a-teacher/)

[Claudette Colvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudette-colvin/)

> [I always tell young people to hold on to their dreams. And sometimes you have to stand up for what you think is right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudette-colvin/i-always-tell-young-people-to-hold-on-to-their-dreams-and-sometimes/)

[Claudette Colvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudette-colvin/)

> [I just couldn't move. History had me glued to the seat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudette-colvin/i-just-couldn-t-move-history-had-me-glued-to-the-seat/)

[Claudette Colvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudette-colvin/)

> [There were many African Americans - many, many stories similar to my story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudette-colvin/there-were-many-african-americans-many-many-stories-similar-to-my/)

[Claudette Colvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudette-colvin/)

> [I left the South in 1963 and was living in Morristown, New Jersey, when the March on Washington took place, so I watched it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudette-colvin/i-left-the-south-in-1963-and-was-living-in-morristown-new-jersey-when/)

[Claudette Colvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudette-colvin/)

> [I was ostracized by my community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudette-colvin/i-was-ostracized-by-my-community/)

[Claudette Colvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudette-colvin/)

> [When you've been abused daily and you see people humiliated and harassed, you just get tired of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudette-colvin/when-you-ve-been-abused-daily-and-you-see-people-humiliated-and/)

[Claudette Colvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudette-colvin/)

> [I wanted the young African-American girls also on the bus to know that they had a right to be there, because they had paid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudette-colvin/i-wanted-the-young-african-american-girls-also-on-the-bus-to-know/)

[Claudette Colvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudette-colvin/)

> [I became aware of how the world is and how the white establishment plays black people against each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudette-colvin/i-became-aware-of-how-the-world-is-and-how-the-white-establishment/)

[Claudette Colvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudette-colvin/)

> [A lot has changed since I grew up, but there's still a long way to go. I don't think we can move forward with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudette-colvin/a-lot-has-changed-since-i-grew-up-but-there-s-still-a-long-way-to-go/)

[Claudette Colvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudette-colvin/)

> [I wanted to be an attorney. My mother would say I never stopped talking. I always had a lot of questions to ask, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudette-colvin/i-wanted-to-be-an-attorney-my-mother-would-say-i-never-stopped/)

[Claudette Colvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudette-colvin/)

> [We were churchgoing people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudette-colvin/we-were-churchgoing-people/)

[Claudette Colvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudette-colvin/)

> [A lot of African American women wanted to emulate white women. But I said in my mind, rationally thinking, there is no way you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudette-colvin/a-lot-of-african-american-women-wanted-to-emulate-white-women-but-i/)

[Claudette Colvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudette-colvin/)

> [I'd like my grandchildren to be able to see that their grandmother stood up for something, a long time ago.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudette-colvin/i-d-like-my-grandchildren-to-be-able-to-see-that-their-grandmother/)

[Claudette Colvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudette-colvin/)

[Explore all 37 Claudette Colvin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudette-colvin/)

## More Bill of rights quotes

> [Some of the folks on both sides might be sincere, but it does seem as if it is only the opposition that cares about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bovard/some-of-the-folks-on-both-sides-might-be-sincere-but-it-does-seem-as/)

[James Bovard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-bovard/)

> [“I have a recurring fantasy that one more article has been added to the Bill of Rights: the right to free access to imagination.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/azar-nafisi/i-have-a-recurring-fantasy-that-one-more-article-has-been-added-to/)

[Azar Nafisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/azar-nafisi/)

> [“manager’s bill of rights,” those basic things that you have a right to expect from your employees. Responsible employees: Are responsive to feedback Keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erika-andersen/manager-s-bill-of-rights-those-basic-things-that-you-have-a-right-to/)

[Erika Andersen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erika-andersen/)

> [“To disarm the people is the best and most effectual way to enslave them." -George Mason - Father of the Bill of Rights”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-goodwin/to-disarm-the-people-is-the-best-and-most-effectual-way-to-enslave/)

[Mark Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-goodwin/)

> [A bill of rights is what the people are entitled to against every government on earth, general or particular, and what no just government…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/a-bill-of-rights-is-what-the-people-are-entitled-to-against-every/)

[Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/)

> [The average citizen expresses pride in the American Bill of Rights and then seeks to protect his real estate by restrictive covenants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-allen-overstreet/the-average-citizen-expresses-pride-in-the-american-bill-of-rights/)

[Harry Allen Overstreet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-allen-overstreet/)

> [“Among those liberties which we in this UNION claim for the child, due to him as a person, is freedom of thought, the function…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parents-national-education-union/among-those-liberties-which-we-in-this-union-claim-for-the-child-due/)

[Parents' National Education Union](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parents-national-education-union/)

> [To be patriotic is to be able to question government policy in times of crisis. To be patriotic is to stand up for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sami-al-arian/to-be-patriotic-is-to-be-able-to-question-government-policy-in-times/)

[Sami Al-Arian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sami-al-arian/)

> [Everybody now seems to be talking about democracy. I don't understand this. As I think of it, democracy isn't like a Sunday suit to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalton-trumbo/everybody-now-seems-to-be-talking-about-democracy-i-don-t-understand/)

[Dalton Trumbo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalton-trumbo/)

> [We have a list of human rights - right to food, right to shelter, right to health, right to education, many such items which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-yunus/we-have-a-list-of-human-rights-right-to-food-right-to-shelter-right/)

[Muhammad Yunus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-yunus/)

> [If this nation is to be wise as well as strong, if we are to achieve our destiny, then we need more new ideas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-this-nation-is-to-be-wise-as-well-as-strong-if-we-are-to-achieve/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“In the first movement, our infancy as a species, we felt no separation from the natural world around us. Trees, rocks, and plants surrounded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-macy/in-the-first-movement-our-infancy-as-a-species-we-felt-no-separation/)

[Joanna Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-macy/)

> [To take a single step beyond the boundaries specially drawn around the powers of Congress is to take possession of a boundless field of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/to-take-a-single-step-beyond-the-boundaries-specially-drawn-around/)

[Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/)

> [Bill of Rights was Madison, I'm going with Madison.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-kaine/bill-of-rights-was-madison-i-m-going-with-madison/)

[Tim Kaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-kaine/)

> [The notion that Americans can be protected from "terror" by giving up the Bill of Rights is absurd. Democrats are complicit in this absurd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-craig-roberts/the-notion-that-americans-can-be-protected-from-terror-by-giving-up/)

[Paul Craig Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-craig-roberts/)

[Browse all 294 Bill of rights quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bill-of-rights/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "When our founding fathers drafted the Constitution and Bill of Rights, black people weren't even considered human.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Claudette Colvin"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudette-colvin/when-our-founding-fathers-drafted-the-constitution-and-bill-of-rights/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Bill of rights"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudette-colvin/when-our-founding-fathers-drafted-the-constitution-and-bill-of-rights/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/136/claudette-colvin-17532_bill-of-rights_when-our-founding-fathers-drafted-the-co_2755826.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/136/claudette-colvin-17532_bill-of-rights_when-our-founding-fathers-drafted-the-co_2755826.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/136/claudette-colvin-17532_bill-of-rights_when-our-founding-fathers-drafted-the-co_2755826.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“When our founding fathers drafted the Constitution and Bill of Rights, black people weren't even considered…” — Claudette Colvin",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Claudette Colvin",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudette-colvin/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "When our founding fathers drafted the...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudette-colvin/when-our-founding-fathers-drafted-the-constitution-and-bill-of-rights/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudette-colvin/when-our-founding-fathers-drafted-the-constitution-and-bill-of-rights/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
