--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Then began an experience that turned my…" description: "\"Then began an experience that turned my life around-working on a book with a black kid as hero. None of the manuscripts I'd been illustrating featured ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b2f/ezra-jack-keats-87829_backgrounds_then-began-an-experience-that-turned-my_3071013.jpg" --- # Then began an experience that turned my life… ![“Then began an experience that turned my life around-working on a book with a black kid as hero. None of the manuscripts I'd been illustrating featured any black kids-except for token blacks in the background. My book would have him there simply because he should have been there all along. Years…” quote by Ezra Jack Keats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b2f/ezra-jack-keats-87829_backgrounds_then-began-an-experience-that-turned-my_3071013.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b2f/ezra-jack-keats-87829_backgrounds_then-began-an-experience-that-turned-my_3071013.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b2f/ezra-jack-keats-87829_backgrounds_then-began-an-experience-that-turned-my_3071013.jpg) > “Then began an experience that turned my life around-working on a book with a black kid as hero. None of the manuscripts I'd been illustrating featured any black kids-except for token blacks in the background. My book would have him there simply because he should have been there all along. Years before I had cut from a magazine a strip of photos of a little black boy. I often put them on my studio walls before I'd begun to illustrate children's books. I just loved looking at him. This was the child who would be the hero of my book.” [Ezra Jack Keats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-jack-keats/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author realized the importance of authentic representation and created a story with a Black protagonist to fill a long‑standing gap in children's literature. **In simple terms:** He added a Black hero to his book to correct under‑representation. Key Takeaway Include diverse characters to reflect reality. Themes representation inclusion creativity identity literature Mood hopeful determined reflective Type inspirational social educational When to use this quote - children's publishing - illustration - school curricula - family reading - media criticism Key Concepts cultural authenticity visibility role models Questions to Reflect On - How does representation affect a child's self‑image? - What steps ensure authentic storytelling? A Different Perspective May risk tokenism if not handled sincerely. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Backgrounds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/backgrounds/) [Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black/) [Black boy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-boy/) [Black Kid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-kid-789021/) [Black Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-kids/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Book Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book-black-3573655/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Boys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boys/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Children 's books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children-s-books/) [Children'S Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children-s-books-2/) [Cutting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cutting/) [Has beens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/has-beens/) [Hero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hero/) [Hero Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hero-book-5194839/) [Illustrating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illustrating/) [Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Littles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/littles/) [Magazines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/magazines/) [Manuscripts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/manuscripts/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Should have](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should-have/) [Should have been](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should-have-been/) [Studios](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/studios/) [Tokens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tokens/) [Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wall/) [Would be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would-be/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) ## Related quotes > [There were only ever two black kids at my school. I never considered myself to be 'a black kid'. I was who I was.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daley-thompson/there-were-only-ever-two-black-kids-at-my-school-i-never-considered/) [Daley Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daley-thompson/) > [“You never knew what shape your enemies would take." from the book -- Black Gold of the Sun”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ekow-eshun/you-never-knew-what-shape-your-enemies-would-take-from-the-book-black/) [Ekow Eshun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ekow-eshun/) > [ “\[…\]when you read a book, what you see are black squiggles on pulped wood or, increasingly, dark pixels on a pale screen. To transform… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohsin-hamid/when-you-read-a-book-what-you-see-are-black-squiggles-on-pulped-wood/) [Mohsin Hamid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohsin-hamid/) > [I got lucky, and the first book, 'The Black Echo,' got published.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-connelly/i-got-lucky-and-the-first-book-the-black-echo-got-published/) [Michael Connelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-connelly/) > [But when you read a book, what you see are black squiggles on pulped wood or, increasingly, dark pixels on a pale screen. To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohsin-hamid/but-when-you-read-a-book-what-you-see-are-black-squiggles-on-pulped/) [Mohsin Hamid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohsin-hamid/) > [“This book is for a black light, a bottom bunk and a hug, For a doorway, a pair of kicked-off shoes and the width…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-hart/this-book-is-for-a-black-light-a-bottom-bunk-and-a-hug-for-a-doorway/) [Megan Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-hart/) > [I didn't want to write a 'black' book because black characters are a tough sell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-priest/i-didn-t-want-to-write-a-black-book-because-black-characters-are-a/) [Christopher Priest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-priest/) > [Growing up in New Orleans, I was always the only black kid, or one of two, on the school soccer team. While I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-smith/growing-up-in-new-orleans-i-was-always-the-only-black-kid-or-one-of/) [Clint Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-smith/) > [I was the black kid in school who'd skate and wrestle, who was really into outer space and botany and kung fu and hip-hop.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jermaine-fowler/i-was-the-black-kid-in-school-who-d-skate-and-wrestle-who-was-really/) [Jermaine Fowler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jermaine-fowler/) > [It's important for a young black kid to see a Mexican hero, just to know that we're all equal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-younge/it-s-important-for-a-young-black-kid-to-see-a-mexican-hero-just-to/) [Adrian Younge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-younge/) > [I remember growing up, people would say, 'You could be president!' Well, for a black kid looking at that, it wasn't until Obama became…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmie-allen/i-remember-growing-up-people-would-say-you-could-be-president-well/) [Jimmie Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmie-allen/) > [If you're a black kid from the streets and somebody is rapping about parents not understanding, you'd laugh at that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mc-ren/if-you-re-a-black-kid-from-the-streets-and-somebody-is-rapping-about/) [MC Ren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mc-ren/) > [“Maya’s boyfriend, Ryan, happens to be the only other black kid in eleventh grade, and everybody expects us to be together. Because apparently when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/maya-s-boyfriend-ryan-happens-to-be-the-only-other-black-kid-in/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) > [And I was the only black kid in my school for almost all of my childhood, until I was a teenager. So imagine, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aisha-tyler/and-i-was-the-only-black-kid-in-my-school-for-almost-all-of-my/) [Aisha Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aisha-tyler/) > [Every black kid knows about that voice they moms make when they are on the phone with important people...be trying sound white and so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-black-kid-knows-about-that-voice-they-moms-make-when-they-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Ezra Jack Keats > [“One winter morning Peter woke up and looked out the window. Snow had fallen during the night. It covered everything as far as he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-jack-keats/one-winter-morning-peter-woke-up-and-looked-out-the-window-snow-had/) [Ezra Jack Keats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-jack-keats/) > [To me, one of the greatest triumphs in doing a book is to tell the story as simply as possible. My aim is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-jack-keats/to-me-one-of-the-greatest-triumphs-in-doing-a-book-is-to-tell-the/) [Ezra Jack Keats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-jack-keats/) [Explore all 3 Ezra Jack Keats quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-jack-keats/) ## More Backgrounds quotes > [We do not want to be reminded that it is we, the indigenous people, who are poor and exploited in the land of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-biko/we-do-not-want-to-be-reminded-that-it-is-we-the-indigenous-people-who/) [Steven Biko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-biko/) > [When you see how fragile and delicate life can be, all else fades into the background.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-morasca/when-you-see-how-fragile-and-delicate-life-can-be-all-else-fades-into/) [Jenna Morasca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-morasca/) > [Worship is not about personality, temperament, personal limitations, church background, or comfort. It is about God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wimber/worship-is-not-about-personality-temperament-personal-limitations/) [John Wimber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wimber/) > [Eventually the consumer will come to appreciate the editorial point of view of every different brand. User-generated content without editorial oversight will simply be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-eisner/eventually-the-consumer-will-come-to-appreciate-the-editorial-point/) [Michael Eisner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-eisner/) > [I bring my classical training - some of it, but not all of it - and also my background and culture, to spirituals. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-battle/i-bring-my-classical-training-some-of-it-but-not-all-of-it-and-also/) [Kathleen Battle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-battle/) > [The acting background helped a lot when I started writing. I was training for it. In acting class they teach you about the stakes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-higgins-clark/the-acting-background-helped-a-lot-when-i-started-writing-i-was/) [Carol Higgins Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-higgins-clark/) > [In the dim background of our mind we know meanwhile what we ought to be doing: getting up, dressing ourselves, answering the person who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/in-the-dim-background-of-our-mind-we-know-meanwhile-what-we-ought-to/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [I think it is a sin to look at another person as inferior to yourself because of race or because of ethnic background and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/i-think-it-is-a-sin-to-look-at-another-person-as-inferior-to-yourself/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [The thing that is making jazz healthy today is that people are coming out of other backgrounds - from rock, folk, from ethnic music.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-taylor/the-thing-that-is-making-jazz-healthy-today-is-that-people-are-coming/) [Billy Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-taylor/) > [We do not have to be ashamed of what we are. As sentient beings we have wonderful backgrounds. These backgrounds may not be particularly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/we-do-not-have-to-be-ashamed-of-what-we-are-as-sentient-beings-we/) [Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/) > [People from my sort of background needed grammar schools to compete with children from privileged homes like Shirley Williams and Anthony Wedgwood Benn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/people-from-my-sort-of-background-needed-grammar-schools-to-compete/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [Persons who have cleansed themselves of any transgression and who have shown their ability to deal with homosexual inclinations and put them in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallin-h-oaks/persons-who-have-cleansed-themselves-of-any-transgression-and-who/) [Dallin H. Oaks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallin-h-oaks/) > [I come from a theater background, so I always like to dissect the scene and try to get some hint about what the author…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adina-porter/i-come-from-a-theater-background-so-i-always-like-to-dissect-the/) [Adina Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adina-porter/) > [And, of course, some SF is set close enough to here and now that Anglo and European do apply. Since many of the writers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-schmidt/and-of-course-some-sf-is-set-close-enough-to-here-and-now-that-anglo/) [Stanley Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-schmidt/) > [For me, I try to look at a person's swagger and a little background on them if I already haven't liked them as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bivins/for-me-i-try-to-look-at-a-person-s-swagger-and-a-little-background-on/) [Michael Bivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bivins/) [Browse all 1,648 Backgrounds quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/backgrounds/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Then began an experience that turned my life around-working on a book with a black kid as hero. None of the manuscripts I'd been illustrating featured any black kids-except for token blacks in the background. My book would have him there simply because he should have been there all along. 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