--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was born in segregated Birmingham…" description: "\"I was born in segregated Birmingham, Alabama. I didn't have a white classmate till we moved to Denver.\" — Condoleezza Rice" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77b/condoleezza-rice-807_alabama_i-was-born-in-segregated-birmingham-alab_226462.jpg" --- # I was born in segregated Birmingham, Alabama. I didn't… ![“I was born in segregated Birmingham, Alabama. I didn't have a white classmate till we moved to Denver.” quote by Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77b/condoleezza-rice-807_alabama_i-was-born-in-segregated-birmingham-alab_226462.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77b/condoleezza-rice-807_alabama_i-was-born-in-segregated-birmingham-alab_226462.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77b/condoleezza-rice-807_alabama_i-was-born-in-segregated-birmingham-alab_226462.jpg) > “I was born in segregated Birmingham, Alabama. I didn't have a white classmate till we moved to Denver.” [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Early segregation shaped her perspective, highlighting the impact of diverse environments on growth. **In simple terms:** Segregation shaped her view; diversity matters. Key Takeaway Seek diverse experiences to broaden understanding. Themes segregation diversity growth Mood thoughtful hopeful Type reflective inspirational When to use this quote - education - workplace - community - policy Key Concepts social change personal development Questions to Reflect On - How did moving change her outlook? - What can we learn about inclusion? A Different Perspective Changing environments can be challenging and uncomfortable. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Birmingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/birmingham/) [Classmates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/classmates/) [Denver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/denver/) ## Related quotes > [My early childhood was spent in Newark, New Jersey, but my family moved to Denver when I was 12.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-diament/my-early-childhood-was-spent-in-newark-new-jersey-but-my-family-moved/) [Anita Diament](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-diament/) > [I'm the son of a Black man who was born in the segregated South.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-chatterton-williams/i-m-the-son-of-a-black-man-who-was-born-in-the-segregated-south/) [Thomas Chatterton Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-chatterton-williams/) > [My mother was born into a segregated America. How crazy is that?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-waithe/my-mother-was-born-into-a-segregated-america-how-crazy-is-that/) [Lena Waithe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-waithe/) > [I was born in Colorado Springs and I spent a lot of time there. I moved to Denver when I first started training in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benson-henderson/i-was-born-in-colorado-springs-and-i-spent-a-lot-of-time-there-i/) [Benson Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benson-henderson/) > [I grew up in a very loving middle class family. My parents were educators. I'm not even the first PhD in my family. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/i-grew-up-in-a-very-loving-middle-class-family-my-parents-were/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [“Birmingham was a dirty industrial city, and from the plane it had a delicate rose-pink aura of pollution, like the chiffon scarf around the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-follett/birmingham-was-a-dirty-industrial-city-and-from-the-plane-it-had-a/) [Ken Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-follett/) > [I just didn't feel like there would be a lot of opportunities for me in Birmingham.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-hawthorne/i-just-didn-t-feel-like-there-would-be-a-lot-of-opportunities-for-me/) [Kim Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-hawthorne/) > [I get on with Joe Hart really well. He joined Birmingham on loan when I was there and to see him working day-in, day-out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-butland/i-get-on-with-joe-hart-really-well-he-joined-birmingham-on-loan-when/) [Jack Butland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-butland/) > [When I first began visiting West Germany in the early 1980s, I was startled by the contrast between Birmingham, where I went to school,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-harding/when-i-first-began-visiting-west-germany-in-the-early-1980s-i-was/) [Luke Harding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-harding/) > [Obviously it's very hard to leave a club that you've supported all your life. But the reason that I've come to Birmingham is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-dunn/obviously-it-s-very-hard-to-leave-a-club-that-you-ve-supported-all/) [David Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-dunn/) > [I went to university in the north of England at University of Birmingham to do an English literature degree, and I knew I could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-riley/i-went-to-university-in-the-north-of-england-at-university-of/) [Tom Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-riley/) > [“Nobody wants a house in Osaka,' he said, and it was strange to hear him switch suddenly to foreign pronunciation in the middle of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-pulley/nobody-wants-a-house-in-osaka-he-said-and-it-was-strange-to-hear-him/) [Natasha Pulley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-pulley/) > [I admire Tom Ades: he's a brilliant conductor, and he gets just the right hard, brilliant sound from the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-hazlewood/i-admire-tom-ades-he-s-a-brilliant-conductor-and-he-gets-just-the/) [Charles Hazlewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-hazlewood/) > [I remember I played Birmingham and I'd been awake for about a week and I was walking about like a raving lunatic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerry-cinnamon/i-remember-i-played-birmingham-and-i-d-been-awake-for-about-a-week/) [Gerry Cinnamon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerry-cinnamon/) > [I don't think anything happens without the press, one way or the other. I think it's all done for it. You saw it start,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-winogrand/i-don-t-think-anything-happens-without-the-press-one-way-or-the-other/) [Garry Winogrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-winogrand/) ## More by Condoleezza Rice > [The Iranian people have a proud past. They merit a great future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/the-iranian-people-have-a-proud-past-they-merit-a-great-future/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [It has been hard to muster the resources to support fledgling democracies and to intervene on behalf of the most desperate. The AIDS orphans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/it-has-been-hard-to-muster-the-resources-to-support-fledgling/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [We can't live true to our set of values unless American educational system is strong. I really believe that if we don't get that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/we-can-t-live-true-to-our-set-of-values-unless-american-educational/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [I remember at the time of 9/11 that there were women who went out of their way to escort Muslim women to grocery stores…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/i-remember-at-the-time-of-9-11-that-there-were-women-who-went-out-of/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [The first step for a leader is to be right with yourself. Integrity is the basis of leadership.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/the-first-step-for-a-leader-is-to-be-right-with-yourself-integrity-is/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [A lot is being done to bring additional protective measures, particularly the critical infrastructure locations around the United States, ... There is a very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/a-lot-is-being-done-to-bring-additional-protective-measures/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [You cannot be on one hand dedicated to peace and on the other dedicated to violence. Those two things are irreconcilable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/you-cannot-be-on-one-hand-dedicated-to-peace-and-on-the-other/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [I'm not personally fearful, but I look out, and there are a number of things that concern me, and I'm hopeful that we can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/i-m-not-personally-fearful-but-i-look-out-and-there-are-a-number-of/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [ \[I'm\] very fortunate and blessed person who still has a lot of living to do. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/i-m-very-fortunate-and-blessed-person-who-still-has-a-lot-of-living/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [Football is like war. It's about taking territory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/football-is-like-war-it-s-about-taking-territory/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [I think there are plenty of men out there who are capable and accomplished in their own realm. You don't have to be in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/i-think-there-are-plenty-of-men-out-there-who-are-capable-and/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [I've always said as a political scientist that "culture" is what we use when we can't explain things. I think it's more about accessibility.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/i-ve-always-said-as-a-political-scientist-that-culture-is-what-we-use/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [I believed Afghanistan was always going to be hard. It's the fifth poorest country in the world. And when you fly over it, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/i-believed-afghanistan-was-always-going-to-be-hard-it-s-the-fifth/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [I'm very glad my mother didn't let me quit piano lessons at age 10. She said I wasn't old enough or good enough to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/i-m-very-glad-my-mother-didn-t-let-me-quit-piano-lessons-at-age-10/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [The idea the president of the United States was warned that Al-Qaeda was going to attack the United States and did nothing about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/the-idea-the-president-of-the-united-states-was-warned-that-al-qaeda/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) [Explore all 365 Condoleezza Rice quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) ## More Alabama quotes > [Alabama soldiers, all I ask of you is to keep up with the Texans!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-lee/alabama-soldiers-all-i-ask-of-you-is-to-keep-up-with-the-texans/) [Robert E. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-lee/) > [“Alabama in 1927 alone, 27,701 men were arrested on misdemeanor charges and offered for sale by county sheriffs. In Blackmon’s estimation, “roughly half of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-haney-l-pez/alabama-in-1927-alone-27-701-men-were-arrested-on-misdemeanor-charges/) [Ian Haney López](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-haney-l-pez/) > [I was haunted always by my other life-my drab room in the Bronx, my square foot of the subway, my fixation upon the day's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/i-was-haunted-always-by-my-other-life-my-drab-room-in-the-bronx-my/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [The great thing that I appreciate - the fact that my godfather, William 'Sticky' Jackson, was a Tuskegee Airman because my father was first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-west/the-great-thing-that-i-appreciate-the-fact-that-my-godfather-william/) [Allen West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-west/) > [I'll never forget where I came from, and that my home is forever Sweet Home Alabama!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bearer/i-ll-never-forget-where-i-came-from-and-that-my-home-is-forever-sweet/) Paul Bearer > [Alabama's a football state and you really don't get too many basketball players out there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bledsoe/alabama-s-a-football-state-and-you-really-don-t-get-too-many/) [Eric Bledsoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bledsoe/) > [When I was growing up in Alabama in the '50s, even though we were poor and the laws were against blacks, we still had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-lee-peterson/when-i-was-growing-up-in-alabama-in-the-50s-even-though-we-were-poor/) [Jesse Lee Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-lee-peterson/) > [May God continue to bless sweet home Alabama.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-ivey/may-god-continue-to-bless-sweet-home-alabama/) [Kay Ivey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-ivey/) > [Because Republicans defected and voted with all the Democrats to reject Jeff Sessions' nomination when they discovered that when he was working as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-o-donnell/because-republicans-defected-and-voted-with-all-the-democrats-to/) [Lawrence O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-o-donnell/) > [My uncle is a Southern planter. He's an undertaker in Alabama.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-allen/my-uncle-is-a-southern-planter-he-s-an-undertaker-in-alabama/) [Fred Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-allen/) > [On his 916th game as coach at University of Alabama - I've been here so long that when I got here the Dead Sea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winfrey-sanderson/on-his-916th-game-as-coach-at-university-of-alabama-i-ve-been-here-so/) Winfrey Sanderson > [Beginning in June, Alabama seniors previously without prescription drug coverage should begin to see savings of between 10 and 25 percent on their medications.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-rogers/beginning-in-june-alabama-seniors-previously-without-prescription/) [Mike Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-rogers/) > [It is my goal as governor to steady the ship of state and improve the image of Alabama, part of that entails ending unnecessary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-ivey/it-is-my-goal-as-governor-to-steady-the-ship-of-state-and-improve-the/) [Kay Ivey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-ivey/) > [The BP settlement is a victory for Alabama: not only for the amount of compensation we were able to secure, but also for avoiding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luther-strange/the-bp-settlement-is-a-victory-for-alabama-not-only-for-the-amount-of/) [Luther Strange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luther-strange/) > [I had an art teacher who's the reason I got there in high school who encouraged me to go to Alabama. That's where she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sela-ward/i-had-an-art-teacher-who-s-the-reason-i-got-there-in-high-school-who/) [Sela Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sela-ward/) Browse all 371 Alabama quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I was born in segregated Birmingham, Alabama. 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