--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: How far the gentlemen of dark complexion…" description: "\"“How far the gentlemen of dark complexion will get with their independence, now that they have declared it, I don’t know. There are serious difficultie..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/238/h-l-mencken-2-5374_freedom_how-far-the-gentlemen-of-dark-complexion_1824846.jpg" --- # How far the gentlemen of dark complexion will get with… ![“How far the gentlemen of dark complexion will get with their independence, now that they have declared it, I don’t know. There are serious difficulties in their way. The vast majority of people of their race are but two or three inches removed from gorillas: it will be a sheer impossibility, for a…” quote by H.L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/238/h-l-mencken-2-5374_freedom_how-far-the-gentlemen-of-dark-complexion_1824846.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/238/h-l-mencken-2-5374_freedom_how-far-the-gentlemen-of-dark-complexion_1824846.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/238/h-l-mencken-2-5374_freedom_how-far-the-gentlemen-of-dark-complexion_1824846.jpg) > ““How far the gentlemen of dark complexion will get with their independence, now that they have declared it, I don’t know. There are serious difficulties in their way. The vast majority of people of their race are but two or three inches removed from gorillas: it will be a sheer impossibility, for a long, long while, to interest them in anything above pork-chops and bootleg gin.”” [H.L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken-2/) ## 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 doubts the political independence of a marginalized group, citing perceived cultural and intellectual gaps. **In simple terms:** The writer doubts a group’s ability to thrive independently. Key Takeaway Challenge stereotypes and support inclusive empowerment. Themes racism stereotype politics Mood critical skeptical Type political social commentary When to use this quote - policy making - education reform - community building Key Concepts social hierarchy colonialism identity politics Questions to Reflect On - How do stereotypes shape policy? - What evidence counters these assumptions? A Different Perspective The view is rooted in prejudice and ignores systemic barriers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Independence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/independence/) [Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism/) [Racist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racist/) ## Related quotes > [God please wash me of my sins. For my dark complexion represents the excess amounts of flaws, but my heart is pure red full…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/god-please-wash-me-of-my-sins-for-my-dark-complexion-represents-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The light-skinned girls always thought they were better looking. So did the teachers, too. That meant most of the dark complexion ones didn't like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudette-colvin/the-light-skinned-girls-always-thought-they-were-better-looking-so/) [Claudette Colvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudette-colvin/) > [If any personal description of me is thought desirable, it may be said, I am, in height, six feet, four inches, nearly; lean in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/if-any-personal-description-of-me-is-thought-desirable-it-may-be-said/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [I was called the 'Ugly Duckling' of Hindi films because of my dark complexion and south Indian features.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rekha/i-was-called-the-ugly-duckling-of-hindi-films-because-of-my-dark/) [Rekha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rekha/) > [Offhand, the only North American writers I can think of who have come from a background of rural poverty and gone on to write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alden-nowlan/offhand-the-only-north-american-writers-i-can-think-of-who-have-come/) [Alden Nowlan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alden-nowlan/) > [It should seem that Negroes, of all Americans, would be found in the Free-thought fold, since they have suffered more than any other class…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hubert-harrison/it-should-seem-that-negroes-of-all-americans-would-be-found-in-the/) Hubert Harrison > [I saw in Chicago, on the street where I was visiting my sister-in-law, this "Urban Renewal" and it means one thing: "Negro removal." But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-lou-hamer/i-saw-in-chicago-on-the-street-where-i-was-visiting-my-sister-in-law/) [Fannie Lou Hamer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-lou-hamer/) > [Your ancestors dragged these black people from their homes by force; and in the white man's quest for wealth and an easy life they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/your-ancestors-dragged-these-black-people-from-their-homes-by-force/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [Ethiopians, that is, Negroes, gave the world the first idea of right and wrong and thus laid the basis of religion and all true…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/ethiopians-that-is-negroes-gave-the-world-the-first-idea-of-right-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I have received the favor of your letter of August 17th, and with it the volume you were so kind as to send me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/i-have-received-the-favor-of-your-letter-of-august-17th-and-with-it/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Now, just a word about the poor Negroes... They're here. They've got to be cared for... The poor Negroes have got to live, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-long/now-just-a-word-about-the-poor-negroes-they-re-here-they-ve-got-to-be/) [Huey Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-long/) > [“He was suggesting that all Negroes were held in a state of supreme tension between the difficult, dangerous relationship in which they stood to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-baldwin/he-was-suggesting-that-all-negroes-were-held-in-a-state-of-supreme/) [James Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-baldwin/) > [As a race, the Negroes are not lazy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-e-b-du-bois/as-a-race-the-negroes-are-not-lazy/) [W. E. B. Du Bois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-e-b-du-bois/) > [The people of the Southern States now own near five millions of these negroes, and they are worth to them near three millions of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-people-of-the-southern-states-now-own-near-five-millions-of-these/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Those type of whites who are always going to jail with Negroes are the ones who tell Negroes to be loving and be kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/those-type-of-whites-who-are-always-going-to-jail-with-negroes-are/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) ## More by H.L. Mencken > [“Suffice it to say that the vile arts of the hussy prevailed over that noble and upright man—that she enticed him, by adroit appeals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken-2/suffice-it-to-say-that-the-vile-arts-of-the-hussy-prevailed-over-that/) [H.L. 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Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken-2/) > [“But though every normal man thus cherishes the soothing unction that he is the intellectual superior of all women, and particularly of his wife,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken-2/but-though-every-normal-man-thus-cherishes-the-soothing-unction-that/) [H.L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken-2/) > [“If the average man is made in God's image, then a man such as Beethoven or Aristotle is plainly superior to God, and so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken-2/if-the-average-man-is-made-in-god-s-image-then-a-man-such-as/) [H.L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken-2/) > [“The American moron’s mind simply does not run in that direction; he wants to keep his Ford, even at the cost of losing the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken-2/the-american-moron-s-mind-simply-does-not-run-in-that-direction-he/) [H.L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken-2/) > [“Once I ventured the guess that men worked in response to a vague inner urge for self-expression. But that was probably a shaky theory,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken-2/once-i-ventured-the-guess-that-men-worked-in-response-to-a-vague/) [H.L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken-2/) > [“He writes the worst English that I have ever encountered. It reminds me of a string of wet sponges; it reminds me of tattered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken-2/he-writes-the-worst-english-that-i-have-ever-encountered-it-reminds/) [H.L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken-2/) > [“For men become civilized, not in proportion to their willingness to believe, but in proportion to their readiness to doubt. The more stupid the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken-2/for-men-become-civilized-not-in-proportion-to-their-willingness-to/) [H.L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken-2/) > [“Where is the graveyard of dead gods? What lingering mourner waters their mounds? There was a time when Jupiter was the king of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken-2/where-is-the-graveyard-of-dead-gods-what-lingering-mourner-waters/) [H.L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken-2/) > [“If I had my way no man guilty of golf would be eligible to any office of trust or profit under the United States,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken-2/if-i-had-my-way-no-man-guilty-of-golf-would-be-eligible-to-any-office/) [H.L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken-2/) [Explore all 99 H.L. Mencken quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken-2/) ## More Freedom quotes > [One is a painter because one wants so-called freedom; one doesn't want to go to the office every morning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/one-is-a-painter-because-one-wants-so-called-freedom-one-doesn-t-want/) [Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. 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