--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We started America with the sin of…" description: "\"We started America with the sin of slavery that led right into the post-reconstruction period which was the greatest period of domestic terrorism in ou..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97f/cory-booker-2546_african-american_we-started-america-with-the-sin-of-slave_1834485.jpg" --- # We started America with the sin of slavery that led right… ![“We started America with the sin of slavery that led right into the post-reconstruction period which was the greatest period of domestic terrorism in our country's history. Then after that, we had Jim Crow emerge and just when the Jim Crow laws were ending came the onslaught of the drug war. Well…” quote by Cory Booker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97f/cory-booker-2546_african-american_we-started-america-with-the-sin-of-slave_1834485.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97f/cory-booker-2546_african-american_we-started-america-with-the-sin-of-slave_1834485.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97f/cory-booker-2546_african-american_we-started-america-with-the-sin-of-slave_1834485.jpg) > “We started America with the sin of slavery that led right into the post-reconstruction period which was the greatest period of domestic terrorism in our country's history. Then after that, we had Jim Crow emerge and just when the Jim Crow laws were ending came the onslaught of the drug war. Well, the drug war has so perniciously effected, insidiously infected communities of color that in some ways it has come full circle, and we now have more African Americans under criminal supervision than all of the slaves in 1865. This is a profoundly unjust war.” [Cory Booker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-booker/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The U.S. has a legacy of racial oppression, from slavery through Jim Crow to the modern drug war, which disproportionately harms Black communities and creates a new form of systemic control. **In simple terms:** America’s history of racial injustice continues today, especially through the drug war’s impact on Black people. Key Takeaway Recognize and reform policies that perpetuate racial inequity. Themes racial injustice systemic oppression policy reform criminal justice history Mood somber determined hopeful Type political historical call to action When to use this quote - legislative hearings - community advocacy - educational curricula - public health initiatives - criminal justice reform Key Concepts institutional racism mass incarceration war on drugs social determinants of health legacy of slavery Questions to Reflect On - How can we dismantle policies that sustain racial inequity? - What role should communities play in shaping reform? A Different Perspective Addressing systemic racism requires confronting entrenched power structures and economic interests that benefit from the status quo. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [African american](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/african-american/) [African americans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/african-americans/) [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [Drug](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drug/) [Full circle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/full-circle/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Jim crow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jim-crow/) [Jim crow laws](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jim-crow-laws/) [Sin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sin/) [Slave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slave/) [Slavery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slavery/) [Supervision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/supervision/) [Terrorism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrorism/) [Unjust war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unjust-war/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [War on drugs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war-on-drugs/) [Wine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wine/) ## Related quotes > [“Bear in mind, now, that most of this work was done by men who had no intention whatever, when they enlisted, of making war…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-catton/bear-in-mind-now-that-most-of-this-work-was-done-by-men-who-had-no/) [Bruce Catton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-catton/) > [The sin of slavery is one of which it may be said that without the shedding of blood there is no remission.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/the-sin-of-slavery-is-one-of-which-it-may-be-said-that-without-the/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [It's a shameful piece of history and I think - I don't mean to be political or sobering or anything - but I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamlyn-tomita/it-s-a-shameful-piece-of-history-and-i-think-i-don-t-mean-to-be/) [Tamlyn Tomita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamlyn-tomita/) > [The United States was founded on the triple sin of slavery, genocide, and land theft.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-chatterton-williams/the-united-states-was-founded-on-the-triple-sin-of-slavery-genocide/) [Thomas Chatterton Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-chatterton-williams/) > [The War on Drugs is a war on people, but particularly it's been a war on low-income people and a war on minorities. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-booker/the-war-on-drugs-is-a-war-on-people-but-particularly-it-s-been-a-war/) [Cory Booker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-booker/) > [“Gendemen, I have resolved never to make an unjust war, but to end a just one only with the utter ruin of my enemies.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bolitho/gendemen-i-have-resolved-never-to-make-an-unjust-war-but-to-end-a/) [William Bolitho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bolitho/) > [George, your reckless and wanton foreign policies killed my son, Spc. Casey Austin Sheehan, in the illegal and unjust war on Iraq. Helping to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-sheehan/george-your-reckless-and-wanton-foreign-policies-killed-my-son-spc/) [Cindy Sheehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-sheehan/) > [I don't believe there is such thing as a just or unjust war; there are avoidable and unavoidable wars. Sometimes you have no choice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-hoffman/i-don-t-believe-there-is-such-thing-as-a-just-or-unjust-war-there-are/) Mike Hoffman > [“writers regard unjust war as not only immoral, but as one of the greatest of crimes—murder on a large scale.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/writers-regard-unjust-war-as-not-only-immoral-but-as-one-of-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [War can only be qualified by its object, and there is neither foreign war nor civil war, there is only just or unjust war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/war-can-only-be-qualified-by-its-object-and-there-is-neither-foreign/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [I abhor unjust war. I abhor injustice and bullying by the strong at the expense of the weak, whether among nations or individuals. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/i-abhor-unjust-war-i-abhor-injustice-and-bullying-by-the-strong-at/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Unjust war is to be abhorred; but woe to the nation that does not make ready to hold its own in time of need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/unjust-war-is-to-be-abhorred-but-woe-to-the-nation-that-does-not-make/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [I've been there for so many crossroads in American history. My whole political life spans the birth of the environmental movement, the women's movement,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-boxer/i-ve-been-there-for-so-many-crossroads-in-american-history-my-whole/) [Barbara Boxer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-boxer/) > [Borrowers are nearly always ill-spenders, and it is with lent money that all evil is mainly done and all unjust war protracted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/borrowers-are-nearly-always-ill-spenders-and-it-is-with-lent-money/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [We desire peace. However, if imperialism insists on fighting a war, we will have no alternative but to take the firm resolution to fight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mao-zedong/we-desire-peace-however-if-imperialism-insists-on-fighting-a-war-we/) [Mao Zedong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mao-zedong/) ## More by Cory Booker > [We've got to get back to a country that can get things done. And my whole career has been marching and charging at and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-booker/we-ve-got-to-get-back-to-a-country-that-can-get-things-done-and-my/) [Cory Booker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-booker/) > [If you want the things people don't have, you have to do the things other people will not do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-booker/if-you-want-the-things-people-don-t-have-you-have-to-do-the-things/) [Cory Booker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-booker/) > [“Deterrents properly placed can help. But that is not enough. 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This is a chance for him to be magnanimous, humble. To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-booker/if-donald-trump-governs-the-way-he-campaigned-it-ll-be-a-disastrous/) [Cory Booker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-booker/) > [To me, feminism is believing in women's equality, and I ardently ascribe to that belief.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-booker/to-me-feminism-is-believing-in-women-s-equality-and-i-ardently/) [Cory Booker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-booker/) > [I live in Brick Towers, a public housing project in Newark's Central Ward. I moved in when the projects were privately owned by a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-booker/i-live-in-brick-towers-a-public-housing-project-in-newark-s-central/) [Cory Booker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-booker/) > [“I celebrate ideals of individual excellence, self-reliance, and personal responsibility… But rugged individualism alone did not get us to the moon. It did not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-booker/i-celebrate-ideals-of-individual-excellence-self-reliance-and/) [Cory Booker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-booker/) > [The history in our country speaks to our highest values of people who did not accept things as they are and go along with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-booker/the-history-in-our-country-speaks-to-our-highest-values-of-people-who/) [Cory Booker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-booker/) > [My dad set a clear model for me for what manhood was all about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-booker/my-dad-set-a-clear-model-for-me-for-what-manhood-was-all-about/) [Cory Booker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-booker/) > [Can you every single day tell a true testimony of who you are? That's really what life is about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-booker/can-you-every-single-day-tell-a-true-testimony-of-who-you-are-that-s/) [Cory Booker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-booker/) > [2016 is an election like I've never seen before. And I think it reflects the fact that many people have a dissatisfaction with politics…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-booker/2016-is-an-election-like-i-ve-never-seen-before-and-i-think-it/) [Cory Booker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-booker/) > [I do not believe that marijuana is a gateway drug, and having been a mayor trying to keep my community safe, if there was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-booker/i-do-not-believe-that-marijuana-is-a-gateway-drug-and-having-been-a/) [Cory Booker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-booker/) > [Any Democrat running is trying to get that Barack Obama coalition, which is an increasingly diverse voter base. It's young folks. It's minorities, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-booker/any-democrat-running-is-trying-to-get-that-barack-obama-coalition/) [Cory Booker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-booker/) [Explore all 161 Cory Booker quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-booker/) ## 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. We didn't listen to music in the house; only at temple. Then I went to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-patinkin/i-grew-up-in-synagogue-in-the-boys-choir-we-didn-t-listen-to-music-in/) [Mandy Patinkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-patinkin/) > [I agreed a long time ago, I would not live at any cost. If I am moved or forced away from what I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/i-agreed-a-long-time-ago-i-would-not-live-at-any-cost-if-i-am-moved/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [There could be no more powerful argument against mixing religion and government than the success of independent African American churches in placing racial segregation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jacoby/there-could-be-no-more-powerful-argument-against-mixing-religion-and/) [Susan Jacoby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jacoby/) > [“This popularity extended to Trump himself, who, according to private demographic research conducted at the time, was even more popular with African American and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-green/this-popularity-extended-to-trump-himself-who-according-to-private/) [Joshua Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-green/) > [American civil rights leader, Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community? Lynching is a murder. For the past four hundred years our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/american-civil-rights-leader-where-do-we-go-from-here-chaos-or/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [I know I'm more forgiving than most African Americans when it comes to second chances for White people who not only commit a racial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-capehart/i-know-i-m-more-forgiving-than-most-african-americans-when-it-comes/) [Jonathan Capehart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-capehart/) > [Some Republicans gave up on winning the African-American vote, looking the other way or trying to benefit politically from racial polarization. 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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