--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Unless you had developed a certain…" description: "\"Unless you had developed a certain independence of value, a certain independent system of value, a system of values that was independent from this midd..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b6/ella-baker-10989_accepted_unless-you-had-developed-a-certain-indep_1655018.jpg" --- # Unless you had developed a certain independence of value… ![“Unless you had developed a certain independence of value, a certain independent system of value, a system of values that was independent from this middle-class drive for recognition. This has been my explanation of part of [Martin Luther King] general role. So, he accepted this without too much…” quote by Ella Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b6/ella-baker-10989_accepted_unless-you-had-developed-a-certain-indep_1655018.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b6/ella-baker-10989_accepted_unless-you-had-developed-a-certain-indep_1655018.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b6/ella-baker-10989_accepted_unless-you-had-developed-a-certain-indep_1655018.jpg) > “Unless you had developed a certain independence of value, a certain independent system of value, a system of values that was independent from this middle-class drive for recognition. This has been my explanation of part of \[Martin Luther King\] general role. So, he accepted this without too much resistance. In fact, none that I could ever see, and at certain points I was close enough to see something.” [Ella Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-baker/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Independence of values means resisting middle‑class recognition drives, focusing on authentic purpose. **In simple terms:** Value independence over external approval. Key Takeaway Cultivate personal values separate from societal pressure. Themes independence values authenticity Mood reflective inspirational Type historical philosophical When to use this quote - activism - leadership - education Key Concepts Social movements personal agency Questions to Reflect On - What personal values guide your actions? - How can you stay true amid external expectations? A Different Perspective Societal pressure can still influence decisions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/class/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Independence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/independence/) [Kings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kings/) [Middle class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/middle-class/) [Motivation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivation/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Recognition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/recognition/) [Resistance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resistance/) [Values](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/values/) ## Related quotes > [Independence is of more value than any gifts; and to receive gifts is to lose it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saadi/independence-is-of-more-value-than-any-gifts-and-to-receive-gifts-is/) [Saadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saadi/) > [With acting, there's a certain amount of independence you have within the framework of the storytelling. When it's done well, it's a collaborative medium.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maura-tierney/with-acting-there-s-a-certain-amount-of-independence-you-have-within/) [Maura Tierney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maura-tierney/) > [“Bitcoin is nothing more than a unique string of numbers. It has no independent value, and is not tied to any real-world currency. Its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-bartlett/bitcoin-is-nothing-more-than-a-unique-string-of-numbers-it-has-no/) [Jamie Bartlett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-bartlett/) > [“The truth and value of Christianity do not depend on the fruits which it has borne for civilization and culture: it has its own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-bavinck/the-truth-and-value-of-christianity-do-not-depend-on-the-fruits-which/) [Herman Bavinck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-bavinck/) > [That Hegel's theory is derivative from Fichte's does not prevent it from being strikingly original and of independent value.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-w-wood/that-hegel-s-theory-is-derivative-from-fichte-s-does-not-prevent-it/) [Allen W. Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-w-wood/) > [ I think you can find some rationales for that if we look at the background out of which he came. Martin \[Luther King\] had… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-baker/i-think-you-can-find-some-rationales-for-that-if-we-look-at-the/) [Ella Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-baker/) > [After the '57 initial meeting - I was up this way working, not as a staff person - there became the need for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-baker/after-the-57-initial-meeting-i-was-up-this-way-working-not-as-a-staff/) [Ella Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-baker/) > [ Martin \[Luther King\] wasn't, basically, the kind of person - certainly at the stage that I knew him closest - wasn't the kind of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-baker/martin-luther-king-wasn-t-basically-the-kind-of-person-certainly-at/) [Ella Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-baker/) > [The anniversary of the Montgomery boycott was being celebrated, and the handbill that was out, and all whatever literature that was circulated, didn't say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-baker/the-anniversary-of-the-montgomery-boycott-was-being-celebrated-and/) [Ella Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-baker/) > [ In your short stay in Atlanta, I'm sure you saw that there was great competition between Martin's \[Luther King\] father and John Wesley Dobbs… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-baker/in-your-short-stay-in-atlanta-i-m-sure-you-saw-that-there-was-great/) [Ella Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-baker/) > [The God in whose hands are all our days and ways, did cast into my hand one day a book of Martin Luthers; it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/the-god-in-whose-hands-are-all-our-days-and-ways-did-cast-into-my/) [John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/) > [I don't think anything happens without the press, one way or the other. I think it's all done for it. You saw it start,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-winogrand/i-don-t-think-anything-happens-without-the-press-one-way-or-the-other/) [Garry Winogrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-winogrand/) > [What is accurately portrayed is the rich humanity not just of Martin Luther King but of the movement, which was a multiracial movement. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/what-is-accurately-portrayed-is-the-rich-humanity-not-just-of-martin/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [“It was easy for you to say these things, since you either knew you were not writing to Luther, but for the general public,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/it-was-easy-for-you-to-say-these-things-since-you-either-knew-you/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [I cannot forbid a person to marry several wives, for it does not contradict Scripture. MARTIN LUTHER, letter to Chancellor Gregory Brück, January 13,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/i-cannot-forbid-a-person-to-marry-several-wives-for-it-does-not/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) ## More by Ella Baker > [In order to see where we are going, we not only must remember where we have been, but we must understand where we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-baker/in-order-to-see-where-we-are-going-we-not-only-must-remember-where-we/) [Ella Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-baker/) > [The major job was getting people to understand that they had something within their power that they could use, and it could only be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-baker/the-major-job-was-getting-people-to-understand-that-they-had/) [Ella Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-baker/) > [After the '57 initial meeting - I was up this way working, not as a staff person - there became the need for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-baker/after-the-57-initial-meeting-i-was-up-this-way-working-not-as-a-staff/) [Ella Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-baker/) > [My theory is, strong people don't need strong leaders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-baker/my-theory-is-strong-people-don-t-need-strong-leaders/) [Ella Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-baker/) > [Oppressed people, whatever their level of formal education, have the ability to understand and interpret the world around them, to see the world for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-baker/oppressed-people-whatever-their-level-of-formal-education-have-the/) [Ella Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-baker/) > [I went to what is known as, and was at that time, too, Shaw University in Raleigh, North Carolina. In fact, because of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-baker/i-went-to-what-is-known-as-and-was-at-that-time-too-shaw-university/) [Ella Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-baker/) > [Strong people don't need strong leaders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-baker/strong-people-don-t-need-strong-leaders/) [Ella Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-baker/) > [His name was Michael R. Ross. I've never known what the "R" was for. He died, however, before I was 7. But he and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-baker/his-name-was-michael-r-ross-i-ve-never-known-what-the-r-was-for-he/) [Ella Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-baker/) > [I guess the best way to describe that would be to connect with the fact that I came out of college just before the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-baker/i-guess-the-best-way-to-describe-that-would-be-to-connect-with-the/) [Ella Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-baker/) > [I had been friendly with people who were in the Communist party and all the rest of the Left forces, which were oriented in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-baker/i-had-been-friendly-with-people-who-were-in-the-communist-party-and/) [Ella Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-baker/) > [ I didn't have any close relationship with him because, although \[William Edward Burghardt\] DuBois may not have been as egocentric - I don't know… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-baker/i-didn-t-have-any-close-relationship-with-him-because-although/) [Ella Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-baker/) > [ \[Walter White\] was also one of the best lobbyist of the period. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-baker/walter-white-was-also-one-of-the-best-lobbyist-of-the-period/) [Ella Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-baker/) > [I think, to be honest, sort of emanated from the initial work of somebody else instead of SCLC. If you take Albany; I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-baker/i-think-to-be-honest-sort-of-emanated-from-the-initial-work-of/) [Ella Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-baker/) > [We who believe in freedom cannot rest until it comes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-baker/we-who-believe-in-freedom-cannot-rest-until-it-comes/) [Ella Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-baker/) > [I didn't break the rules, but I challenged the rules.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-baker/i-didn-t-break-the-rules-but-i-challenged-the-rules/) [Ella Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-baker/) [Explore all 62 Ella Baker quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-baker/) ## More Accepted quotes > [Merkel has realized that the euro is not working, but she cannot change the narrative she has created because that narrative has caught the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-soros/merkel-has-realized-that-the-euro-is-not-working-but-she-cannot/) [George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-soros/) > [I started off playing by ear, and being around a bunch of musicians and playing in the streets and in the different parades and,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/troy-andrews/i-started-off-playing-by-ear-and-being-around-a-bunch-of-musicians/) [Troy Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/troy-andrews/) > [Greatness is not guarding yourself from people. Greatness is being accepted by the people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/greatness-is-not-guarding-yourself-from-people-greatness-is-being/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [The idea that this world is a playground instead of a battleground has now been accepted in practice by the vast majority of Christians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/the-idea-that-this-world-is-a-playground-instead-of-a-battleground/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [Bruce Katz is a spectacular talent! He's a brilliant composer and arranger who uses uncommon and unique musical intelligence to redefine jazz and blues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-coryell/bruce-katz-is-a-spectacular-talent-he-s-a-brilliant-composer-and/) [Larry Coryell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-coryell/) > [wishes for sons by Lucille Clifton i wish them cramps. i wish them a strange town and the last tampon. I wish them no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucille-clifton/wishes-for-sons-by-lucille-clifton-i-wish-them-cramps-i-wish-them-a/) [Lucille Clifton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucille-clifton/) > [What our species needs, above all else, is a generally accepted ethical system that is compatible with the scientific knowledge we now possess.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-our-species-needs-above-all-else-is-a-generally-accepted-ethical/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There are a lot of movies about misfits that are quite cool, that kind of glamorize it on some level. I think there are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-hall/there-are-a-lot-of-movies-about-misfits-that-are-quite-cool-that-kind/) [Rebecca Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-hall/) > [In Quebec City many Muslims have said that they hide their faith because they know that if they don't, if they show that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-pratte/in-quebec-city-many-muslims-have-said-that-they-hide-their-faith/) Andre Pratte > [The rules and principles of case law have never been treated as final truths but as working hypotheses, continually retested in those great laboratories…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-n-cardozo/the-rules-and-principles-of-case-law-have-never-been-treated-as-final/) [Benjamin N. Cardozo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-n-cardozo/) > [ We have reached a situation where a theory has been accepted as fact by some, and possible contrary evidence is shunted aside. \[This is\]… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-shapiro/we-have-reached-a-situation-where-a-theory-has-been-accepted-as-fact/) [Robert Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-shapiro/) > [And if all others accepted the lie which the Party imposed—if all records told the same tale—then the lie passed into history and became…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/and-if-all-others-accepted-the-lie-which-the-party-imposed-if-all/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [I was in a conversation and someone said: "You know, we were talking about the whole issue of transgender and how it has become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/i-was-in-a-conversation-and-someone-said-you-know-we-were-talking/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [Divorce is so common and accepted in America that beating myself up over it may sound ridiculous. 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