--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I can't play a slave." description: "\"I can't play a slave.\" — Dorothy Dandridge" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce1/dorothy-dandridge-61270_play_i-can-t-play-a-slave-1176158_1176158.jpg" --- # I can't play a slave. ![“I can't play a slave.” quote by Dorothy Dandridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce1/dorothy-dandridge-61270_play_i-can-t-play-a-slave-1176158_1176158.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce1/dorothy-dandridge-61270_play_i-can-t-play-a-slave-1176158_1176158.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce1/dorothy-dandridge-61270_play_i-can-t-play-a-slave-1176158_1176158.jpg) > “I can't play a slave.” [Dorothy Dandridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-dandridge/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She asserts personal agency, refusing to be subjugated or controlled. **In simple terms:** Refuse to be controlled. Key Takeaway Demand respect and autonomy. Themes freedom agency identity Mood defiant assertive Type inspirational empowering When to use this quote - relationships - career - social movements Key Concepts self‑determination empowerment Questions to Reflect On - How do you assert your boundaries? - What costs come with demanding autonomy? A Different Perspective May be misinterpreted as defiance rather than self‑respect. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Slave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slave/) ## Related quotes > [I play a slave. How black is that? I have to wear chains. How whack is that? But don’t worry. I get free. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-foxx/i-play-a-slave-how-black-is-that-i-have-to-wear-chains-how-whack-is/) [Jamie Foxx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-foxx/) > [I starred in a Broadway play that was Sidney Poitier's first directing job and the cast was Lou Gossett, Cicely Tyson, Diana Ladd and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-steinberg/i-starred-in-a-broadway-play-that-was-sidney-poitier-s-first/) [David Steinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-steinberg/) > [Don't become a slave to non-crucial matters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-ringer/don-t-become-a-slave-to-non-crucial-matters/) [Robert Ringer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-ringer/) > [Man preys on man; and you mourn for the idle tapestry that decorated a gothic pillar, and the dronish bell that summoned the fat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-wollstonecraft/man-preys-on-man-and-you-mourn-for-the-idle-tapestry-that-decorated-a/) [Mary Wollstonecraft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-wollstonecraft/) > [“Whoever then would be free, let him wish for nothing, let him decline nothing, which depends on others; else he must necessarily be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus-epictetus/whoever-then-would-be-free-let-him-wish-for-nothing-let-him-decline/) [Epictetus Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus-epictetus/) > [“Being a slave is to have nothing but still having something left to lose.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lalita-tedemy/being-a-slave-is-to-have-nothing-but-still-having-something-left-to/) Lalita Tedemy > [We know, Southern men declare that their slaves are better off than hired laborers amongst us. How little they know, whereof they speak! There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/we-know-southern-men-declare-that-their-slaves-are-better-off-than/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [My favorite Founding Fathers, Christians like John Adams, were absolutely appalled by slavery, and did not own slaves. I think we're going to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-coulter/my-favorite-founding-fathers-christians-like-john-adams-were/) [Ann Coulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-coulter/) > [“Freedom is for the educated people who fought for it. We were slaves of the English, now we will be slaves of the educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khushwant-singh/freedom-is-for-the-educated-people-who-fought-for-it-we-were-slaves/) [Khushwant Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khushwant-singh/) > [“We are at the mercy of whoever wields authority over the things we either desire or detest. If you would be free, then, do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/we-are-at-the-mercy-of-whoever-wields-authority-over-the-things-we/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [I didn't want to be a slave to any passion anymore. I gave up card playing altogether, even bridge and gambling - more or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omar-sharif/i-didn-t-want-to-be-a-slave-to-any-passion-anymore-i-gave-up-card/) [Omar Sharif](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omar-sharif/) > [Perhaps no order of mammals presents us with so extraordinary a series of gradations as this \[step by step, from humans to apes to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-huxley/perhaps-no-order-of-mammals-presents-us-with-so-extraordinary-a/) [Thomas Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-huxley/) > [The minimum that most minimalists want leaves in place just the institutions who protect their interests. That's libertarians for you - anarchists who want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-stanley-robinson/the-minimum-that-most-minimalists-want-leaves-in-place-just-the/) [Kim Stanley Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-stanley-robinson/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) ## More by Dorothy Dandridge > [Somehow, people just like to look at me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-dandridge/somehow-people-just-like-to-look-at-me/) [Dorothy Dandridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-dandridge/) > [ It \[prejudice\] is such a waste. It makes you logy and half-alive. It gives you nothing. It takes away. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-dandridge/it-prejudice-is-such-a-waste-it-makes-you-logy-and-half-alive-it/) [Dorothy Dandridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-dandridge/) > [If one person in a thousand criticized me while all the others cheered, I didn't hear the cheers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-dandridge/if-one-person-in-a-thousand-criticized-me-while-all-the-others/) [Dorothy Dandridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-dandridge/) > [If I were white I could capture the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-dandridge/if-i-were-white-i-could-capture-the-world/) [Dorothy Dandridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-dandridge/) [Explore all 5 Dorothy Dandridge quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-dandridge/) ## More Play quotes > [There are guys who play lacrosse, and there are lacrosse players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brendan-mundorf/there-are-guys-who-play-lacrosse-and-there-are-lacrosse-players/) Brendan Mundorf > [You gotta have a little kid in you to play football.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-edwards/you-gotta-have-a-little-kid-in-you-to-play-football/) [Herman Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-edwards/) > [My team mates are fundamental for my characteristics, if they send in crosses I can play inside the area.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/filippo-inzaghi/my-team-mates-are-fundamental-for-my-characteristics-if-they-send-in/) [Filippo Inzaghi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/filippo-inzaghi/) > [Leo, Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, Eden. Every year, you look at their numbers - score goals, assists, minutes - to see they play very well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pedro/leo-cristiano-ronaldo-neymar-eden-every-year-you-look-at-their/) [Pedro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pedro/) > [But we are convinced that if we are to play a meaningful role nationally, and in the community of nations, we must be second…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-sarabhai/but-we-are-convinced-that-if-we-are-to-play-a-meaningful-role/) [Vikram Sarabhai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-sarabhai/) > [It's a lot harder to play football when you haven't got the ball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-gray/it-s-a-lot-harder-to-play-football-when-you-haven-t-got-the-ball/) [Andy Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-gray/) > [My embarrassing confession is that my father is a 'Camelot: The Musical' obsessive. So as a child, when we were going to visit relatives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-chibnall/my-embarrassing-confession-is-that-my-father-is-a-camelot-the-musical/) [Chris Chibnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-chibnall/) > [We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pausch/we-cannot-change-the-cards-we-are-dealt-just-how-we-play-the-hand/) [Randy Pausch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pausch/) > [You play a part, and as soon as a movie is over and the camera stops, you go home and you're not really responsible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nastassja-kinski/you-play-a-part-and-as-soon-as-a-movie-is-over-and-the-camera-stops/) [Nastassja Kinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nastassja-kinski/) > [I think all children love to dress up and play make believe. It's just that I never stopped.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-bonnar/i-think-all-children-love-to-dress-up-and-play-make-believe-it-s-just/) [Mark Bonnar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-bonnar/) > [It would be awesome to play in my backyard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashleigh-barty/it-would-be-awesome-to-play-in-my-backyard/) [Ashleigh Barty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashleigh-barty/) > [I really enjoy going to play for the national team and be with the guys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cedi-osman/i-really-enjoy-going-to-play-for-the-national-team-and-be-with-the/) [Cedi Osman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cedi-osman/) > [I'd love to work in the States; I'd love to work anywhere where you get a good script and a good part to play.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-carmichael/i-d-love-to-work-in-the-states-i-d-love-to-work-anywhere-where-you/) [Laura Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-carmichael/) > [It's a shame that when you've actually lived some life and have something to write about, they're saying you're too old to come out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kt-tunstall/it-s-a-shame-that-when-you-ve-actually-lived-some-life-and-have/) [KT Tunstall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kt-tunstall/) > [I can play on grass - when I won Junior Wimbledon, that was an unbelievable feeling, I could not believe that I had won…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grigor-dimitrov/i-can-play-on-grass-when-i-won-junior-wimbledon-that-was-an/) [Grigor Dimitrov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grigor-dimitrov/) [Browse all 36,264 Play quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I can't play a slave.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dorothy Dandridge" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-dandridge/i-can-t-play-a-slave/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Play" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-dandridge/i-can-t-play-a-slave/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce1/dorothy-dandridge-61270_play_i-can-t-play-a-slave-1176158_1176158.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce1/dorothy-dandridge-61270_play_i-can-t-play-a-slave-1176158_1176158.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce1/dorothy-dandridge-61270_play_i-can-t-play-a-slave-1176158_1176158.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I can't play a slave.” — Dorothy Dandridge", "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": "Dorothy Dandridge", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-dandridge/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I can't play a slave.", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-dandridge/i-can-t-play-a-slave/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-dandridge/i-can-t-play-a-slave/#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 } } ] } ```