--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My wife and I went to jail in Selma. The…" description: "\"My wife and I went to jail in Selma. The difference when I was back there recently? White folks? No. Black folks who were not scared. I was behind the ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/930/dick-gregory-3266_behinds_my-wife-and-i-went-to-jail-in-selma-the_1766038.jpg" --- # My wife and I went to jail in Selma. The difference when I… ![“My wife and I went to jail in Selma. The difference when I was back there recently? White folks? No. Black folks who were not scared. I was behind the president this time. When I was a little boy and ran around with trifling dudes, I was the only one scared of dogs. And I was bitten 14 times! Dogs…” quote by Dick Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/930/dick-gregory-3266_behinds_my-wife-and-i-went-to-jail-in-selma-the_1766038.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/930/dick-gregory-3266_behinds_my-wife-and-i-went-to-jail-in-selma-the_1766038.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/930/dick-gregory-3266_behinds_my-wife-and-i-went-to-jail-in-selma-the_1766038.jpg) > “My wife and I went to jail in Selma. The difference when I was back there recently? White folks? No. Black folks who were not scared. I was behind the president this time. When I was a little boy and ran around with trifling dudes, I was the only one scared of dogs. And I was bitten 14 times! Dogs smell scared. And that's the same thing with people: 50 years ago they smelled fear. There was no fear this time.” [Dick Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-gregory/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker contrasts past and present fear dynamics, noting that fear is now absent among Black people, unlike earlier times when fear was pervasive. **In simple terms:** Fear has changed over time, especially among Black communities. Key Takeaway Recognize how fear shapes behavior and societal change. Themes race fear social change personal growth Mood reflective critical hopeful Type observational analytical inspirational When to use this quote - civil rights activism - community organizing - personal reflection - intergenerational dialogue Key Concepts psychology of fear social dynamics historical context Questions to Reflect On - How does the presence or absence of fear affect community actions? - What role does fear play in personal and collective empowerment? A Different Perspective Fear can be a tool for oppression, and its absence may not guarantee safety. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Behinds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behinds/) [Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black/) [Boys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boys/) [Differences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/differences/) [Dog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dog/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Fear Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear-fear/) [Folks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/folks/) [Jail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jail/) [Little Boy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/little-boy/) [Little boys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/little-boys/) [Littles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/littles/) [Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage/) [My wife](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-wife/) [No fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/no-fear/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president/) [Ran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ran/) [Scared](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scared/) [Smell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smell/) [Smell Scared](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smell-scared-1735462/) [Smelled Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smelled-fear-1735461/) [Trifling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trifling/) [White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white/) [Wife](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wife/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) [Years ago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years-ago/) ## Related quotes > [There is no fear in love, but perfect love casteth out fear. Fear is a painful emotion that arises at the thought that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/there-is-no-fear-in-love-but-perfect-love-casteth-out-fear-fear-is-a/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [I have no fear, for fear is the little death that kills me over and over. Without fear, I die but once.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/i-have-no-fear-for-fear-is-the-little-death-that-kills-me-over-and/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [There was never any fear for me, no fear of failure. If I miss a shot, so what?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/there-was-never-any-fear-for-me-no-fear-of-failure-if-i-miss-a-shot/) [Michael Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jordan/) > [I have no fear, no fear at all. I wake up, and I have no fear. I go to bed without fear. Fear, fear,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/i-have-no-fear-no-fear-at-all-i-wake-up-and-i-have-no-fear-i-go-to/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [Fear is never an actuality; it is either before or after the active present. When there is fear in the active present, is it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/fear-is-never-an-actuality-it-is-either-before-or-after-the-active/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [The whole secret of existence is to have no fear. Never fear what will become of you, depend on no one. Only the moment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/the-whole-secret-of-existence-is-to-have-no-fear-never-fear-what-will/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [In boxing, I had a lot of fear. Fear was good. But, for the first time, in the bout with Muhammad Ali, I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-foreman/in-boxing-i-had-a-lot-of-fear-fear-was-good-but-for-the-first-time-in/) [George Foreman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-foreman/) > [Do what you fear and your fear will die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/do-what-you-fear-and-your-fear-will-die/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Some people say that you shouldn't operate from a place of fear but if there is no fear, how is there a challenge?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecelia-ahern/some-people-say-that-you-shouldn-t-operate-from-a-place-of-fear-but/) [Cecelia Ahern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecelia-ahern/) > [The free man is the man with no fears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-gregory/the-free-man-is-the-man-with-no-fears/) [Dick Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-gregory/) > [All that the Y.M.C.A.'s horse and rings really accomplished was to fill me with an ineradicable distaste, not only for Christian endeavor in all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/all-that-the-y-m-c-a-s-horse-and-rings-really-accomplished-was-to/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [Listening doesn't mean trying to understand. Anything, however trifling, may be of use one day. What matters is to know something that others don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-eco/listening-doesn-t-mean-trying-to-understand-anything-however-trifling/) [Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/) > [Fashion is a great restraint upon your persons of taste and fancy; who would otherwise in the most trifling instances be able to distinguish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shenstone/fashion-is-a-great-restraint-upon-your-persons-of-taste-and-fancy-who/) [William Shenstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shenstone/) > [To give importance to trifling matters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heywood/to-give-importance-to-trifling-matters/) [John Heywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heywood/) > [These joys were so trifling as to be as imperceptible as grains of gold among the sand, and in moments of depression she saw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/these-joys-were-so-trifling-as-to-be-as-imperceptible-as-grains-of/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) ## More by Dick Gregory > [My belief is, you know, certain things have to be explained that's never been explained.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-gregory/my-belief-is-you-know-certain-things-have-to-be-explained-that-s/) [Dick Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-gregory/) > [You hear entertainers all the time, saying, 'If I couldn't get paid for this, I'd do it for free.' When's the last time you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-gregory/you-hear-entertainers-all-the-time-saying-if-i-couldn-t-get-paid-for/) [Dick Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-gregory/) > [What price would God demand from the churches for having the audacity to lighten the color of his son's skin, and straighten out his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-gregory/what-price-would-god-demand-from-the-churches-for-having-the-audacity/) [Dick Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-gregory/) > [In the South they don't mind how close I get, so long as I don't get too big. In the North they don't mind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-gregory/in-the-south-they-don-t-mind-how-close-i-get-so-long-as-i-don-t-get/) [Dick Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-gregory/) > [Eating liver out of a cow's body is like eating the filter out of a car.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-gregory/eating-liver-out-of-a-cow-s-body-is-like-eating-the-filter-out-of-a/) [Dick Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-gregory/) > [I never learned hate at home, or shame. I had to go to school for that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-gregory/i-never-learned-hate-at-home-or-shame-i-had-to-go-to-school-for-that/) [Dick Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-gregory/) > [I am one of the funniest people on the planet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-gregory/i-am-one-of-the-funniest-people-on-the-planet/) [Dick Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-gregory/) > [“Dear Momma―Wherever you are, if ever you hear the word "nigger" again, remember they are advertising my book.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-gregory/dear-momma-wherever-you-are-if-ever-you-hear-the-word-nigger-again/) [Dick Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-gregory/) > [The NAACP is a wonderful organization . . . But do you realize if tomorrow morning we had complete integration, all them cats would be outta work?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-gregory/the-naacp-is-a-wonderful-organization-but-do-you-realize-if-tomorrow/) [Dick Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-gregory/) > [Fear and God do not occupy the same space.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-gregory/fear-and-god-do-not-occupy-the-same-space/) [Dick Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-gregory/) > [I used to get letters saying, 'I didn't know black children and white children were the same.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-gregory/i-used-to-get-letters-saying-i-didn-t-know-black-children-and-white/) [Dick Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-gregory/) > [People keep telling me about the white race and the black race - and it really doesn't make sense. I played Miami, met a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-gregory/people-keep-telling-me-about-the-white-race-and-the-black-race-and-it/) [Dick Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-gregory/) > [If I had to write down the most important people in the history of this planet, No.1 would be (abolitionist) John Brown. Why? Because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-gregory/if-i-had-to-write-down-the-most-important-people-in-the-history-of/) [Dick Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-gregory/) > [Last time I was down South I walked into this restaurant, and this white waitress came up to me and said: 'We don't serve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-gregory/last-time-i-was-down-south-i-walked-into-this-restaurant-and-this/) [Dick Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-gregory/) > [Once we used to have to crank up our cars, now you can pop it on from inside your house. Everything has changed except…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-gregory/once-we-used-to-have-to-crank-up-our-cars-now-you-can-pop-it-on-from/) [Dick Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-gregory/) [Explore all 135 Dick Gregory quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-gregory/) ## More Behinds quotes > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Time is painted with a lock before, and bald behind, signifying thereby that we must take time by the forelock; for, when it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/time-is-painted-with-a-lock-before-and-bald-behind-signifying-thereby/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [God hides Himself behind causes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-rollin/god-hides-himself-behind-causes/) [Charles Rollin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-rollin/) > [Home is behind, the world ahead, And there are many paths to tread Through shadows to the edge of night, Until the stars are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/home-is-behind-the-world-ahead-and-there-are-many-paths-to-tread/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Behind every word flows energy. If you use your words to gossip or babble about what you are going to do before you do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-choquette/behind-every-word-flows-energy-if-you-use-your-words-to-gossip-or/) [Sonia Choquette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-choquette/) > [With the realization of God comes all power. If the little wave knew that behind it is the great ocean, it could say, "I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/with-the-realization-of-god-comes-all-power-if-the-little-wave-knew/) [Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/) > [Conservatism is not about leaving people behind. Conservatism is about empowering people to catch up, to give them the tools at their disposable that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/conservatism-is-not-about-leaving-people-behind-conservatism-is-about/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [And the seasons they go 'round and 'round And the painted ponies go up and down We're captive on the carousel of time We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joni-mitchell/and-the-seasons-they-go-round-and-round-and-the-painted-ponies-go-up/) [Joni Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joni-mitchell/) > [It is worthwhile for anyone to have behind him a few generations of honest, hard-working ancestry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-worthwhile-for-anyone-to-have-behind-him-a-few-generations-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm really thankful to God, man. Like now, I'm really making a real comeback with my group. With or without a record, with or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ike-turner/i-m-really-thankful-to-god-man-like-now-i-m-really-making-a-real/) [Ike Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ike-turner/) > [Empires fall, ids explode, great symphonies are written, and behind all of it is a single instinct that demands satisfaction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwin-b-nuland/empires-fall-ids-explode-great-symphonies-are-written-and-behind-all/) [Sherwin B. Nuland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwin-b-nuland/) > [ Just between you and me, shouldn’t the World Bank be encouraging MORE migration of the dirty industries to the LDCs \[Less Developed Countries\]?... I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-summers/just-between-you-and-me-shouldn-t-the-world-bank-be-encouraging-more/) [Lawrence Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-summers/) > [After a few mouthfuls of moon-flavored air, even the stubbornly drowsy can find themselves wide-eyed.. All the normal noises of life were gone, leaving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-d-wilson/after-a-few-mouthfuls-of-moon-flavored-air-even-the-stubbornly-drowsy/) [N.D. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-d-wilson/) [Browse all 6,789 Behinds quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behinds/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "My wife and I went to jail in Selma. The difference when I was back there recently? White folks? No. Black folks who were not scared. I was behind the president this time. When I was a little boy and ran around with trifling dudes, I was the only one scared of dogs. And I was bitten 14 times! Dogs smell scared. And that's the same thing with people: 50 years ago they smelled fear. There was no fear this time.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dick Gregory" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-gregory/my-wife-and-i-went-to-jail-in-selma-the-difference-when-i-was-back/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Behinds" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-gregory/my-wife-and-i-went-to-jail-in-selma-the-difference-when-i-was-back/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/930/dick-gregory-3266_behinds_my-wife-and-i-went-to-jail-in-selma-the_1766038.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/930/dick-gregory-3266_behinds_my-wife-and-i-went-to-jail-in-selma-the_1766038.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/930/dick-gregory-3266_behinds_my-wife-and-i-went-to-jail-in-selma-the_1766038.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“My wife and I went to jail in Selma. The difference when I was back there recently? White folks? No. Black…” — Dick Gregory", "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": "Dick Gregory", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-gregory/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "My wife and I went to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-gregory/my-wife-and-i-went-to-jail-in-selma-the-difference-when-i-was-back/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-gregory/my-wife-and-i-went-to-jail-in-selma-the-difference-when-i-was-back/#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 } } ] } ```