--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I know that there is still a lot of…" description: "\"I know that there is still a lot of bitterness and anger, and arguably justifiably so, when you think about how brutal slavery was and what its brutal ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8bf/david-oyelowo-7952_bitterness_i-know-that-there-is-still-a-lot-of-bitt_1437196.jpg" --- # I know that there is still a lot of bitterness and anger… ![“I know that there is still a lot of bitterness and anger, and arguably justifiably so, when you think about how brutal slavery was and what its brutal legacy still is.” quote by David Oyelowo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8bf/david-oyelowo-7952_bitterness_i-know-that-there-is-still-a-lot-of-bitt_1437196.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8bf/david-oyelowo-7952_bitterness_i-know-that-there-is-still-a-lot-of-bitt_1437196.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8bf/david-oyelowo-7952_bitterness_i-know-that-there-is-still-a-lot-of-bitt_1437196.jpg) > “I know that there is still a lot of bitterness and anger, and arguably justifiably so, when you think about how brutal slavery was and what its brutal legacy still is.” [David Oyelowo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-oyelowo/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote acknowledges deep bitterness and anger toward slavery’s lasting impact, recognizing its justified emotional weight. **In simple terms:** Slavery’s legacy causes justified anger and bitterness. Key Takeaway Recognize and address historical trauma. Themes history justice trauma legacy empathy Mood somber reflective Type historical social commentary When to use this quote - education curricula - public policy - community healing - personal reflection Key Concepts colonialism systemic racism collective memory Questions to Reflect On - How can societies transform bitterness into constructive change? - What actions can individuals take to support healing? A Different Perspective Healing requires confronting uncomfortable truths, not just acknowledgment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bitterness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bitterness/) [Bitterness Anger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bitterness-anger-377854/) [Brutal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brutal/) [Brutal Legacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brutal-legacy-5134358/) [Brutal Slavery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brutal-slavery-5134357/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Legacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/legacy/) [Slavery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slavery/) [Slavery Brutal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slavery-brutal-5134356/) [Stills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stills/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [Hurt leads to bitterness, bitterness to anger, travel too far that road and the way is lost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-brooks/hurt-leads-to-bitterness-bitterness-to-anger-travel-too-far-that-road/) [Terry Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-brooks/) > [Bitterness: anger that forgot where it came from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/bitterness-anger-that-forgot-where-it-came-from/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [I've purged myself of bitterness and anger and remained open to love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tatum-o-neal/i-ve-purged-myself-of-bitterness-and-anger-and-remained-open-to-love/) [Tatum O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tatum-o-neal/) > [Hatred and bitterness and anger only consume the vessel that contains them. It doesn't hurt another soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rubin-carter/hatred-and-bitterness-and-anger-only-consume-the-vessel-that-contains/) [Rubin Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rubin-carter/) > [If we do not deal with an offense, it will produce more fruit of sin, such as bitterness, anger, and resentment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bevere/if-we-do-not-deal-with-an-offense-it-will-produce-more-fruit-of-sin/) [John Bevere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bevere/) > [“It is okay of talking about the past, as long as there's no bitterness and anger. It only gives you a heart attack. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-marie-aguilar/it-is-okay-of-talking-about-the-past-as-long-as-there-s-no-bitterness/) [Ann Marie Aguilar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-marie-aguilar/) > [I can hold on to that, that bitterness and that anger. It won't get me anywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-banks/i-can-hold-on-to-that-that-bitterness-and-that-anger-it-won-t-get-me/) [Brian Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-banks/) > [Words can be said in bitterness and anger, and often there seems to be an element of truth in the nastiness. And words don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-goodall/words-can-be-said-in-bitterness-and-anger-and-often-there-seems-to-be/) [Jane Goodall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-goodall/) > [I started realizing how the condition of our hearts affects the way we see. If your heart is full of bitterness, anger, and resentment,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-gokey/i-started-realizing-how-the-condition-of-our-hearts-affects-the-way/) [Danny Gokey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-gokey/) > [“I'm not always able to think about so much loss without bitterness and anger. I don't know if I'll ever be capable of loving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-miles/i-m-not-always-able-to-think-about-so-much-loss-without-bitterness/) [Sara Miles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-miles/) > [“Over the years of seeing people suffer some terrible life events and situations, I am struck by those who chose to make the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prof-steve-peters/over-the-years-of-seeing-people-suffer-some-terrible-life-events-and/) [Prof Steve Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prof-steve-peters/) > [It's a choice. You just have to decide that I'm not going to put my energy there. It's your choice. You can embrace it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/it-s-a-choice-you-just-have-to-decide-that-i-m-not-going-to-put-my/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [Youre too beautiful to hold on to any resentment, bitterness & anger. Forgive yourself & Let it go!!! Be strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricardo-housham/youre-too-beautiful-to-hold-on-to-any-resentment-bitterness-anger/) [Ricardo Housham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricardo-housham/) > [The novel is the dream release, the suspension of reality that history needs to escape its own brutal confinements.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/the-novel-is-the-dream-release-the-suspension-of-reality-that-history/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [In 2001, we were told that the war in Afghanistan was a feminist mission. The marines were liberating Afghan women from the Taliban. Can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/in-2001-we-were-told-that-the-war-in-afghanistan-was-a-feminist/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) ## More by David Oyelowo > [At the end of the day, everyone knows what it is to be loved and to aspire to love someone, to want to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-oyelowo/at-the-end-of-the-day-everyone-knows-what-it-is-to-be-loved-and-to/) [David Oyelowo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-oyelowo/) > [I truly believe that one of the things that has been lacking in America is a spirit of repentance about the injustices of slavery…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-oyelowo/i-truly-believe-that-one-of-the-things-that-has-been-lacking-in/) [David Oyelowo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-oyelowo/) > [As you know, Sunday at 11 o'clock is the most segregated hour in America. You have black churches; you have white churches; you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-oyelowo/as-you-know-sunday-at-11-o-clock-is-the-most-segregated-hour-in/) [David Oyelowo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-oyelowo/) > [If you merely focus on what we already know, then it's not revelatory. You may as well just go and watch a documentary or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-oyelowo/if-you-merely-focus-on-what-we-already-know-then-it-s-not-revelatory/) [David Oyelowo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-oyelowo/) > [I basically enjoy doing films that are about something, that have complex roles that I can sink my teeth into. Basically, I gravitate to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-oyelowo/i-basically-enjoy-doing-films-that-are-about-something-that-have/) [David Oyelowo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-oyelowo/) > [In my time since moving to the United States, I've found that there is a dearth of great writing for black people. There are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-oyelowo/in-my-time-since-moving-to-the-united-states-i-ve-found-that-there-is/) [David Oyelowo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-oyelowo/) > [We can't afford to deny our past in a bid to be empowered. But what we can do is contextualize the past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-oyelowo/we-can-t-afford-to-deny-our-past-in-a-bid-to-be-empowered-but-what-we/) [David Oyelowo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-oyelowo/) > [I don't have a tailor, but I do love clothes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-oyelowo/i-don-t-have-a-tailor-but-i-do-love-clothes/) [David Oyelowo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-oyelowo/) > [I am a father, I am very aware of the things that I'm putting out in the world knowing that one day my children…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-oyelowo/i-am-a-father-i-am-very-aware-of-the-things-that-i-m-putting-out-in/) [David Oyelowo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-oyelowo/) > [I feel television is in a fantastically rich vein of what it's presenting both by opportunity to actors and to audiences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-oyelowo/i-feel-television-is-in-a-fantastically-rich-vein-of-what-it-s/) [David Oyelowo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-oyelowo/) > [I do think how two people dance with each other is indicative of how they feel about each other. It can tell a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-oyelowo/i-do-think-how-two-people-dance-with-each-other-is-indicative-of-how/) [David Oyelowo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-oyelowo/) > [Excellence is the best weapon against prejudice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-oyelowo/excellence-is-the-best-weapon-against-prejudice/) [David Oyelowo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-oyelowo/) > [People have compact to go beyond our own culture and upbringing to a degree that I think we don't acknowledge enough really.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-oyelowo/people-have-compact-to-go-beyond-our-own-culture-and-upbringing-to-a/) [David Oyelowo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-oyelowo/) > [I truly believe that we cannot come to a place of reconciliation until there is individual repentance and corporate repentance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-oyelowo/i-truly-believe-that-we-cannot-come-to-a-place-of-reconciliation/) [David Oyelowo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-oyelowo/) > [Africa is trying to find its way back to a sense of itself, when much of that was lost through colonization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-oyelowo/africa-is-trying-to-find-its-way-back-to-a-sense-of-itself-when-much/) [David Oyelowo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-oyelowo/) [Explore all 85 David Oyelowo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-oyelowo/) ## More Bitterness quotes > [You should be angry. You must not be bitter. Bitterness is like cancer. It eats upon the host. It doesn't do anything to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/you-should-be-angry-you-must-not-be-bitter-bitterness-is-like-cancer/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [If Japanese tea 'stands,' it acquires a coarse bitterness and an unwholesome astringency. Milk and sugar are not used.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabella-bird/if-japanese-tea-stands-it-acquires-a-coarse-bitterness-and-an/) [Isabella Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabella-bird/) > [Stronger than alcohol, vaster than poetry, Ferment the freckled red bitterness of love!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-rimbaud/stronger-than-alcohol-vaster-than-poetry-ferment-the-freckled-red/) [Arthur Rimbaud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-rimbaud/) > [“What?" I ask. I try not to get snappy with her. She hasn't really done anything wrong. Falling in love with Turner isn't a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-m-stunich/what-i-ask-i-try-not-to-get-snappy-with-her-she-hasn-t-really-done/) [C.M. Stunich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-m-stunich/) > [“The fairest things have fleetest end, Their scent survives their close: But the rose’s scent is bitterness To him that loved the rose. —Francis…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-rule/the-fairest-things-have-fleetest-end-their-scent-survives-their-close/) [Ann Rule](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-rule/) > [Life appears to me too short to be spent in nursing animosity, or registering wrongs. With this creed, revenge never worries my heart, degradation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/life-appears-to-me-too-short-to-be-spent-in-nursing-animosity-or/) [Charlotte Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [“No," I say. "I didn't know that," and as I say it I feel flooded with bitterness at all the things Ingrid kept secret…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-lacour/no-i-say-i-didn-t-know-that-and-as-i-say-it-i-feel-flooded-with/) [Nina LaCour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-lacour/) > [Forgiving someone who've done you wrong or didn't treat you right could mean that you are allowing yourself to end up away from bitterness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/april-t-pascua/forgiving-someone-who-ve-done-you-wrong-or-didn-t-treat-you-right/) [April T Pascua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/april-t-pascua/) > [You cannot be inspired if you are surrounded with negativity, open the door and step into the inspirational garden of nature. Do not let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemmy-nola/you-cannot-be-inspired-if-you-are-surrounded-with-negativity-open-the/) [Kemmy Nola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemmy-nola/) > [It's not the load that breaks you down, it's the way you carry it. Carry it by the comfortable handles of gratitude for what's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-horne/it-s-not-the-load-that-breaks-you-down-it-s-the-way-you-carry-it/) [Lena Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-horne/) > [Not forgiving prolongs hurt and anger and leads to smoldering resentment, which will make us miserable until it kills us. Resentment destroys the perception…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-walters/not-forgiving-prolongs-hurt-and-anger-and-leads-to-smoldering/) [Richard Walters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-walters/) > [Let us not give in to pessimism, to that bitterness that the devil offers us every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/let-us-not-give-in-to-pessimism-to-that-bitterness-that-the-devil/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [“Sometimes it is good to remind ourselves how bitterness tastes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rin-chupeco/sometimes-it-is-good-to-remind-ourselves-how-bitterness-tastes/) [Rin Chupeco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rin-chupeco/) > [What folly made young people, even those in middle age, think they were immortal? How much better, their lives, if they could remember the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rohinton-mistry/what-folly-made-young-people-even-those-in-middle-age-think-they-were/) [Rohinton Mistry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohinton-mistry/) > [Be sure there is something waiting for you after much patience, to astonish you to a degree, that you forget the bitterness of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/be-sure-there-is-something-waiting-for-you-after-much-patience-to/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) [Browse all 1,210 Bitterness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bitterness/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I know that there is still a lot of bitterness and anger, and arguably justifiably so, when you think about how brutal slavery was and what its brutal legacy still is.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Oyelowo" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-oyelowo/i-know-that-there-is-still-a-lot-of-bitterness-and-anger-and-arguably/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bitterness" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-oyelowo/i-know-that-there-is-still-a-lot-of-bitterness-and-anger-and-arguably/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8bf/david-oyelowo-7952_bitterness_i-know-that-there-is-still-a-lot-of-bitt_1437196.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8bf/david-oyelowo-7952_bitterness_i-know-that-there-is-still-a-lot-of-bitt_1437196.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8bf/david-oyelowo-7952_bitterness_i-know-that-there-is-still-a-lot-of-bitt_1437196.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I know that there is still a lot of bitterness and anger, and arguably justifiably so, when you think about…” — David Oyelowo", "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": "David Oyelowo", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-oyelowo/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I know that there is still...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-oyelowo/i-know-that-there-is-still-a-lot-of-bitterness-and-anger-and-arguably/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-oyelowo/i-know-that-there-is-still-a-lot-of-bitterness-and-anger-and-arguably/#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 } } ] } ```