--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: America has this understanding of…" description: "\"America has this understanding of Africans that plays like National Geographic: a bunch of Negroes with loincloths running around the plain fields of A..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4a/djimon-hounsou-20381_africa_america-has-this-understanding-of-africa_2973181.jpg" --- # America has this understanding of Africans that plays like… ![“America has this understanding of Africans that plays like National Geographic: a bunch of Negroes with loincloths running around the plain fields of Africa chasing gazelles.” quote by Djimon Hounsou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4a/djimon-hounsou-20381_africa_america-has-this-understanding-of-africa_2973181.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4a/djimon-hounsou-20381_africa_america-has-this-understanding-of-africa_2973181.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4a/djimon-hounsou-20381_africa_america-has-this-understanding-of-africa_2973181.jpg) > “America has this understanding of Africans that plays like National Geographic: a bunch of Negroes with loincloths running around the plain fields of Africa chasing gazelles.” [Djimon Hounsou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/djimon-hounsou/) ## 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 critiques stereotypical, primitive portrayals of Africans in media, urging recognition of their humanity and diversity. **In simple terms:** It condemns outdated, demeaning stereotypes of African people. Key Takeaway Challenge and narratives that reduce cultures to caricatures. Themes stereotypes representation media race humanity Mood critical reflective Type social commentary ethical critique When to use this quote - media analysis - education curricula - diversity training - travel documentaries - social media content Key Concepts colonialism identity cultural dignity Questions to Reflect On - How do you confront stereotypical images in daily life? - What stories can replace these harmful narratives? A Different Perspective Stereotypes can be deeply ingrained and resistant to change. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Africa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/africa/) [Africans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/africans/) [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Gazelles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gazelles/) [Geographic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/geographic/) [Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Plays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plays/) [Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running/) [Understanding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understanding/) ## Related quotes > [I feel like Africans are too often portrayed as people on the National Geographic channel: the image is of an African man in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/djimon-hounsou/i-feel-like-africans-are-too-often-portrayed-as-people-on-the/) [Djimon Hounsou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/djimon-hounsou/) > [“We part, then, for the nonce, do we?' 'I fear so, sir.' 'You take the high road, and self taking the low road, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-g-wodehouse/we-part-then-for-the-nonce-do-we-i-fear-so-sir-you-take-the-high-road/) [P.G. Wodehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-g-wodehouse/) > [Time is a monster that cannot be reasoned with. It responds like a snail to our impatience, then it races like a gazelle when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-birch/time-is-a-monster-that-cannot-be-reasoned-with-it-responds-like-a/) Simon Birch > [Gazelles didn't lie down with lions, at least not unbloodied and alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/gazelles-didn-t-lie-down-with-lions-at-least-not-unbloodied-and-alive/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [I'm like the LION, i'm not the GAZELLE](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-thomas/i-m-like-the-lion-i-m-not-the-gazelle/) [Eric Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-thomas/) > [I think we have got to start again and go right back to first principles. The argument I shall advance, surprising as it may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/i-think-we-have-got-to-start-again-and-go-right-back-to-first/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up, it knows it must outrun the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcdougall/every-morning-in-africa-a-gazelle-wakes-up-it-knows-it-must-outrun/) [Christopher McDougall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcdougall/) > [As a young child I wanted to be a writer because writers were rich and famous. They lounged around Singapore and Rangoon smoking opium…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/as-a-young-child-i-wanted-to-be-a-writer-because-writers-were-rich/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) > [Zinedine Zidane could be a champion sumo wrestler. He can run like a crab or a gazelle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-wilkinson/zinedine-zidane-could-be-a-champion-sumo-wrestler-he-can-run-like-a/) [Howard Wilkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-wilkinson/) > [My cousin Georgia says that boys are like gazelles. She says the get alarmed when they get close to girls. And they have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-rennison/my-cousin-georgia-says-that-boys-are-like-gazelles-she-says-the-get/) [Louise Rennison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-rennison/) > [I could run like a gazelle, couldn't I?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-mccovey/i-could-run-like-a-gazelle-couldn-t-i/) [Willie McCovey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-mccovey/) > [My heart can take on any form: A meadow for gazelles, A cloister for monks, For the idols, sacred ground, Ka'ba for the circling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-heart-can-take-on-any-form-a-meadow-for-gazelles-a-cloister-for/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My creed is LOVE; Wherever its caravan turns along the way, That is my belief, My faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ibn-arabi/my-creed-is-love-wherever-its-caravan-turns-along-the-way-that-is-my/) [Ibn Arabi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ibn-arabi/) > [A gazelle runs faster than us; cockroaches are remarkably tolerant of radiation; every being has some superiority; in remembering this, be very humble!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/a-gazelle-runs-faster-than-us-cockroaches-are-remarkably-tolerant-of/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [My heart has become capable of every form: It is a pasture for gazelles And a monastery for Christian monks, And the pilgrim's Ka'ba,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ibn-arabi/my-heart-has-become-capable-of-every-form-it-is-a-pasture-for/) [Ibn Arabi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ibn-arabi/) ## More by Djimon Hounsou > [There is a real problem with the lack of diversity, specifically in genre films and the superheroes our kids grow up watching and emulating,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/djimon-hounsou/there-is-a-real-problem-with-the-lack-of-diversity-specifically-in/) [Djimon Hounsou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/djimon-hounsou/) > [School bored me. Being educated and being intelligent are two different things. I thought I was smart enough. And I wanted to be an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/djimon-hounsou/school-bored-me-being-educated-and-being-intelligent-are-two/) [Djimon Hounsou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/djimon-hounsou/) > [The first time you see the film it takes you right back to those times and those moments. It's very difficult to be objective…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/djimon-hounsou/the-first-time-you-see-the-film-it-takes-you-right-back-to-those/) [Djimon Hounsou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/djimon-hounsou/) > [We like to make the Marvel comics films because they're fun. Families can go see them together. They're entertaining. They aspire to inspire, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/djimon-hounsou/we-like-to-make-the-marvel-comics-films-because-they-re-fun-families/) [Djimon Hounsou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/djimon-hounsou/) > [I hope more people will ask diamond companies to continue changing the way they do business in Africa.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/djimon-hounsou/i-hope-more-people-will-ask-diamond-companies-to-continue-changing/) [Djimon Hounsou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/djimon-hounsou/) > [Africa is a continent that provides so much for the existence of the rest of the world. We go around the world and cultivate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/djimon-hounsou/africa-is-a-continent-that-provides-so-much-for-the-existence-of-the/) [Djimon Hounsou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/djimon-hounsou/) > [A lot of times, we also have to live and work. You have to make money to pay rent. In that respect, I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/djimon-hounsou/a-lot-of-times-we-also-have-to-live-and-work-you-have-to-make-money/) [Djimon Hounsou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/djimon-hounsou/) > [I like stories that have a social impact and social attributes to them. That's the whole reason we make films: to broaden our limited…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/djimon-hounsou/i-like-stories-that-have-a-social-impact-and-social-attributes-to/) [Djimon Hounsou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/djimon-hounsou/) > [If anything, Calvin Klein is the iconic company in terms of fashion. They do have iconic images for their campaigns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/djimon-hounsou/if-anything-calvin-klein-is-the-iconic-company-in-terms-of-fashion/) [Djimon Hounsou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/djimon-hounsou/) > [It's a part of most actors to want to be in an animated feature; to extend the legacy of your career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/djimon-hounsou/it-s-a-part-of-most-actors-to-want-to-be-in-an-animated-feature-to/) [Djimon Hounsou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/djimon-hounsou/) > [Until you are somewhat comfortable and confident and embrace who you are as a person, you can't possibly love somebody else because you don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/djimon-hounsou/until-you-are-somewhat-comfortable-and-confident-and-embrace-who-you/) [Djimon Hounsou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/djimon-hounsou/) > [My passion is more about bringing the stories out from the African continent mixed with the West.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/djimon-hounsou/my-passion-is-more-about-bringing-the-stories-out-from-the-african/) [Djimon Hounsou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/djimon-hounsou/) > [I always hope for the better for the continent and what I know comes from Africa. Living in the West we feel like we're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/djimon-hounsou/i-always-hope-for-the-better-for-the-continent-and-what-i-know-comes/) [Djimon Hounsou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/djimon-hounsou/) > [Africa is my continent. It is where I opened my eyes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/djimon-hounsou/africa-is-my-continent-it-is-where-i-opened-my-eyes/) [Djimon Hounsou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/djimon-hounsou/) > [I feel like Africans are too often portrayed as people on the National Geographic channel: the image is of an African man in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/djimon-hounsou/i-feel-like-africans-are-too-often-portrayed-as-people-on-the/) [Djimon Hounsou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/djimon-hounsou/) [Explore all 31 Djimon Hounsou quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/djimon-hounsou/) ## More Africa quotes > [“We ought to know the history of our ancient ancestors.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/we-ought-to-know-the-history-of-our-ancient-ancestors/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [Africa, being the major target of colonial plunder, therefore becomes a major source of conflict.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-horne/africa-being-the-major-target-of-colonial-plunder-therefore-becomes-a/) [Gerald Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-horne/) > [I'm in 'Madagascar 2.' I'm Testy the Lion. The franchise moves to Africa, and Bernie Mac is also in the film. I loved working…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lister-jr/i-m-in-madagascar-2-i-m-testy-the-lion-the-franchise-moves-to-africa/) [Tom Lister, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lister-jr/) > [South Africa needs a second liberation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mugabe/south-africa-needs-a-second-liberation/) [Robert Mugabe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mugabe/) > [There's a place in Botswana where there are 100,000 elephants living in a single population. Think of the amount of space they need. Remember,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-bergin/there-s-a-place-in-botswana-where-there-are-100-000-elephants-living/) [Patrick Bergin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-bergin/) > [If you followed the media you'd think that everybody in Africa was starving to death, and that's not the case; so it's important to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/if-you-followed-the-media-you-d-think-that-everybody-in-africa-was/) [Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/) > [Africa for the Africans... at home and abroad!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-garvey/africa-for-the-africans-at-home-and-abroad/) [Marcus Garvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-garvey/) > [In Africa, animals and the natural landscape allow local communities to support themselves, as there is a constant source of money from tourism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lidington/in-africa-animals-and-the-natural-landscape-allow-local-communities/) [David Lidington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lidington/) > [My mom is from Ghana, and my dad is from Detroit, so I would go back and forth to Africa a lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-richardson/my-mom-is-from-ghana-and-my-dad-is-from-detroit-so-i-would-go-back/) [Sam Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-richardson/) > [I've never been invited to do an exhibition or do a talk in England, except once, about 10 years ago. I've given talks all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-wildsmith/i-ve-never-been-invited-to-do-an-exhibition-or-do-a-talk-in-england/) [Brian Wildsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-wildsmith/) > [I represent my country, but I also represent the continent of Africa when I play in Europe. That's why it's important to try to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yaya-toure/i-represent-my-country-but-i-also-represent-the-continent-of-africa/) [Yaya Toure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yaya-toure/) > [What we need in South Africa is for egos to be suppressed in favour of peace. We need to create a new breed of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hani/what-we-need-in-south-africa-is-for-egos-to-be-suppressed-in-favour/) [Chris Hani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hani/) > [I was learning to track rhinoceroses in Africa and tracked right up on an animal that really I thought was going to kill me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-beck/i-was-learning-to-track-rhinoceroses-in-africa-and-tracked-right-up/) [Martha Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-beck/) > [I am interested in bringing Africa to the foot of the Cross.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhard-bonnke/i-am-interested-in-bringing-africa-to-the-foot-of-the-cross/) [Reinhard Bonnke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhard-bonnke/) > [My mother is a huge fan of my work. I told her about 'Coraline' long before the film was made, and she got the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-selick/my-mother-is-a-huge-fan-of-my-work-i-told-her-about-coraline-long/) [Henry Selick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-selick/) [Browse all 1,665 Africa quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/africa/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "America has this understanding of Africans that plays like National Geographic: a bunch of Negroes with loincloths running around the plain fields of Africa chasing gazelles.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Djimon Hounsou" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/djimon-hounsou/america-has-this-understanding-of-africans-that-plays-like-national/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Africa" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/djimon-hounsou/america-has-this-understanding-of-africans-that-plays-like-national/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4a/djimon-hounsou-20381_africa_america-has-this-understanding-of-africa_2973181.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4a/djimon-hounsou-20381_africa_america-has-this-understanding-of-africa_2973181.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4a/djimon-hounsou-20381_africa_america-has-this-understanding-of-africa_2973181.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“America has this understanding of Africans that plays like National Geographic: a bunch of Negroes with…” — Djimon Hounsou", "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": "Djimon Hounsou", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/djimon-hounsou/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "America has this understanding of Africans...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/djimon-hounsou/america-has-this-understanding-of-africans-that-plays-like-national/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/djimon-hounsou/america-has-this-understanding-of-africans-that-plays-like-national/#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 } } ] } ```