--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I experienced racism here in my own…" description: "\"When I experienced racism here in my own country, I was not prepared for it. I had never heard the word racism.\" — Daryl Davis" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/869/daryl-davis-7572_country_when-i-experienced-racism-here-in-my-own_2501754.jpg" --- # When I experienced racism here in my own country, I was… ![“When I experienced racism here in my own country, I was not prepared for it. I had never heard the word racism.” quote by Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/869/daryl-davis-7572_country_when-i-experienced-racism-here-in-my-own_2501754.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/869/daryl-davis-7572_country_when-i-experienced-racism-here-in-my-own_2501754.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/869/daryl-davis-7572_country_when-i-experienced-racism-here-in-my-own_2501754.jpg) > “When I experienced racism here in my own country, I was not prepared for it. I had never heard the word racism.” [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Confronting unexpected racism reveals personal ignorance and the need for awareness. **In simple terms:** Unexpected racism shows lack of awareness. Key Takeaway Learn about racism and reflect on biases. Themes racism selfawareness education Mood reflective serious Type personal educational When to use this quote - workplace - community - education - media consumption Key Concepts social justice personal growth Questions to Reflect On - How can you educate yourself on racism? - What steps can you take to confront bias? A Different Perspective Racism may be systemic, not just individual. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism/) ## Related quotes > [I have experienced racism in this country. My children have experienced racism in this country. I wouldn't say America is against me. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-peterson/i-have-experienced-racism-in-this-country-my-children-have/) James Peterson > [I went to Catholic school and experienced racism firsthand from nuns and priests.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthea-butler/i-went-to-catholic-school-and-experienced-racism-firsthand-from-nuns/) [Anthea Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthea-butler/) > [When I was growing up, I never heard the word 'racism.' It was only in Paris I encountered that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/azzedine-alaia/when-i-was-growing-up-i-never-heard-the-word-racism-it-was-only-in/) [Azzedine Alaia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/azzedine-alaia/) > [“Most of us think the word racism is synonymous with the word prejudice. But racism is more than just discrimination based on skin color.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/most-of-us-think-the-word-racism-is-synonymous-with-the-word/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [The word 'racism' is like ketchup. It can be put on practically anything - and demanding evidence makes you a 'racist.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-word-racism-is-like-ketchup-it-can-be-put-on-practically-anything/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [ The "r" word \[racism\] is a scary word to me - I don't like to say it. I'm not trying to say it doesn't… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandi-chastain/the-r-word-racism-is-a-scary-word-to-me-i-don-t-like-to-say-it-i-m/) [Brandi Chastain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandi-chastain/) > [I have always abhorred the word racism. I never use it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-clyburn/i-have-always-abhorred-the-word-racism-i-never-use-it/) [Jim Clyburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-clyburn/) > [Fantastically, Australia is still the lucky country. We have the flawed but necessary gift of democracy. Currently there is a debate about whether there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-flanagan/fantastically-australia-is-still-the-lucky-country-we-have-the-flawed/) Martin Flanagan > [The way we have to measure progress is not, "Is there ever going to be an incident of racism in the country?" It's, "How…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-way-we-have-to-measure-progress-is-not-is-there-ever-going-to-be/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I think there's institutionalised racism in this country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linford-christie/i-think-there-s-institutionalised-racism-in-this-country/) [Linford Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linford-christie/) > [As a parent, you want to protect your children, but the fact of racism in this country, of inequality, that is still a lesson…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesmyn-ward/as-a-parent-you-want-to-protect-your-children-but-the-fact-of-racism/) [Jesmyn Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesmyn-ward/) > [I think about the history of racism in this country all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-smith/i-think-about-the-history-of-racism-in-this-country-all-the-time/) [Clint Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-smith/) > [We treat racism in this country like it's a style that America went through. Like flared legs and lava lamps. Oh, that crazy thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rock/we-treat-racism-in-this-country-like-it-s-a-style-that-america-went/) [Chris Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rock/) > [“I would be guilty only if I were innocent of working to destroy racism in my country.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadine-gordimer/i-would-be-guilty-only-if-i-were-innocent-of-working-to-destroy/) [Nadine Gordimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadine-gordimer/) > [We have this long history of racism in this country, and as it happens, the criminal justice system has been perhaps the most prominent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ta-nehisi-coates/we-have-this-long-history-of-racism-in-this-country-and-as-it-happens/) [Ta-Nehisi Coates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ta-nehisi-coates/) ## More by Daryl Davis > [Racism is a cancer. You cannot ignore it and it'll go away. If you ignore cancer, it simply metastasizes and consumes the whole body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/racism-is-a-cancer-you-cannot-ignore-it-and-it-ll-go-away-if-you/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [They've changed the name from white supremacy to white separatists, to white nationalists, to alt-right. It's the same thing. A rose by any other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/they-ve-changed-the-name-from-white-supremacy-to-white-separatists-to/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [I have been attacked and mistreated for my skin colour since I was a child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/i-have-been-attacked-and-mistreated-for-my-skin-colour-since-i-was-a/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [If you have an adversary, an opponent with an opposing point of view, give that person a platform, regardless of how extreme it may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/if-you-have-an-adversary-an-opponent-with-an-opposing-point-of-view/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [At the end, ignorance is the source of biases. If we cure that, there's nothing to fear and hate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/at-the-end-ignorance-is-the-source-of-biases-if-we-cure-that-there-s/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [There's a difference between being ignorant and being stupid... For me, an ignorant person is someone who makes the wrong decision or a bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/there-s-a-difference-between-being-ignorant-and-being-stupid-for-me/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [Find someone who disagrees and invite them to your table.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/find-someone-who-disagrees-and-invite-them-to-your-table/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [Our society can only become one of two things, it can be become what we let it become or it can become what we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/our-society-can-only-become-one-of-two-things-it-can-be-become-what/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [If you were to talk to somebody from Georgia you would understand what he's saying, he wouldn't sound like your next-door neighbor in Montana,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/if-you-were-to-talk-to-somebody-from-georgia-you-would-understand/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [Every racist that I know - and I know a lot of racists - every racist that I know voted for Donald Trump.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/every-racist-that-i-know-and-i-know-a-lot-of-racists-every-racist/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [It was incomprehensible to me that someone who had never seen me before, someone who knew absolutely nothing about me, would want to inflict…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/it-was-incomprehensible-to-me-that-someone-who-had-never-seen-me/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [The most important thing I learned is that when you are actively learning about someone else you are passively teaching them about yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/the-most-important-thing-i-learned-is-that-when-you-are-actively/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [You're not going to beat the meanness out of a mean dog. You start beating a mean dog, it's gonna become more mean. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/you-re-not-going-to-beat-the-meanness-out-of-a-mean-dog-you-start/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [He spoke nine languages. You know some people can just pick up an instrument and play. My father was like that with languages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/he-spoke-nine-languages-you-know-some-people-can-just-pick-up-an/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [Music absolutely played a massive role in bridging many gaps in the racial divides I would encounter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/music-absolutely-played-a-massive-role-in-bridging-many-gaps-in-the/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) [Explore all 90 Daryl Davis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) ## More Country quotes > [I love playing for my country, getting the support. Especially for the kids and everybody, showing my example of what I can achieve so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-sharapova/i-love-playing-for-my-country-getting-the-support-especially-for-the/) [Maria Sharapova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-sharapova/) > [ That country \[Carthage\] was rapidly sinking into the state of barbarism from whence it had been raised by the Phoenician colonies and Roman laws;… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/that-country-carthage-was-rapidly-sinking-into-the-state-of-barbarism/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [For the Scottish government, the practice of having meetings in different parts of the country is well established, but for the U.K. government, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-sturgeon/for-the-scottish-government-the-practice-of-having-meetings-in/) [Nicola Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-sturgeon/) > [There's no reason someone who has fought for their country should be homeless of jobless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-kyle/there-s-no-reason-someone-who-has-fought-for-their-country-should-be/) [Chris Kyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-kyle/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [It's very nice to be a rebel saying, 'I stand on my principles,' but if in fact that's not going to have any impact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-grieve/it-s-very-nice-to-be-a-rebel-saying-i-stand-on-my-principles-but-if/) [Dominic Grieve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-grieve/) > [Most paper money initially existed as a substitute for gold. That's what gave it value. But right now what gives a currency value is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/most-paper-money-initially-existed-as-a-substitute-for-gold-that-s/) [Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/) > [That's what this country is. It's made up of immigrants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bria-vinaite/that-s-what-this-country-is-it-s-made-up-of-immigrants/) [Bria Vinaite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bria-vinaite/) > [You, of Canada, are building a magnificent record of achievement. My country rejoices in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/you-of-canada-are-building-a-magnificent-record-of-achievement-my/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [The United States cannot and should not discriminate on the basis of religion. The free exercise of religion is at the very heart of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/the-united-states-cannot-and-should-not-discriminate-on-the-basis-of/) [Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/) > [The reason I was drawn to the Band Perry was because they have a knack for doing rollicking country music that can sound a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-robinson/the-reason-i-was-drawn-to-the-band-perry-was-because-they-have-a/) [Phoebe Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-robinson/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > ['Lovecraft Country' is reclaiming all these pulp genres for people of color.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misha-green/lovecraft-country-is-reclaiming-all-these-pulp-genres-for-people-of/) [Misha Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misha-green/) > [No judge can stop us from praying for our country and I pray that on May 6, millions of Americans will join me in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-graham/no-judge-can-stop-us-from-praying-for-our-country-and-i-pray-that-on/) [Franklin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-graham/) [Browse all 29,881 Country quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I experienced racism here in my own country, I was not prepared for it. 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